Larkspur
by xXMoonShadow16Xx
Summary: Love is a very difficult emotion. It becomes very complex when too many people are involved. They say three is a crowd. Can these three prove them wrong? May be rated M later on. Only two OCs, gore in later chapters, and occasional lime blossoms!
1. Chapter 1

_**Okay, this fic I promise I will finish (not that anyone cares anyway). But I will, that's all that matters!**_

* * *

_**~~Part One~~**_

_**The Leo and the Libra**_

_**(The Lion and the Scales)**_

A girl, face contorted with pure and raw anger, stood alone in the town square of a town. A tiny, remote town in the middle of nowhere. A town of a mere one thousand inhabitants. Benkin, it was called. A small town on the countryside, over eighty miles away from the nearest city.

She stared at her reflection in the slow-moving water in the fountain. A tall statue of an ancient deity that watched over all things young and new. A long forgotten faith.

She jammed her hands into the pockets of her shorts and angrily kicked a stone, only to have it ricochet off of the fountain and onto her shin, stinging slightly. The girl grimaced at her reflection.

Her name, Xira Merid. Daughter of a well-known queen. Well-known for being the most successful rulers of the Underground, a lawless place where people dreaded to go. The girl despised her mother, though she was slightly thankful for the things that she passed on to her. Her skills and strength, it surpassing most of her mentors. They were quickly running out of things to teach her, for she was a fast learner. Her wealth, since she and her brother received money weekly from their dearest mother. They were the wealthiest two in town.

And finally, her looks, though she wouldn't admit it herself for her low self-esteem clouded her vision often. The girl had rich, brown skin. The color rivaling even the purest of brown sugar. Her wild, black hair trailed down and stopped just past the base of her neck, it being unruly and unmanageable, giving her a fierce look. Even tied up it made her look ferocious, along with her eyes, the trademark of her strange race.

Darklings, they were called. They lived on a planet called Ateria, a whole planet that was home to only the spawn of human and demon. A human of its sister planet, Lumena, would become pregnant by a demon, or vice versa. That child would then be deported to the planet, with or without its parents.

A darkling's body was similar to that of a human's, but very different. Multi-colored blood and eyes that were complementary to that color. This girl, for example, had indigo blood and her eyes were a dull orange. A sight most humans would call strange, since the sclera, iris, and pupil all blended into one mass. No one could ever tell what direction a darkling was looking in.

Another factor was the horns, things that started out as small bumps on a child's head, and then evolved into either massive or tiny things. Hers were that of a goat's, only in two pairs. One larger and one small.

The older women of the town would call her striking. She was beautiful, her face round and childlike. Her plump lips set into a constant pout. Her older brother would kid about that being the result of a childhood of pouting. She's pouted for so long that she forgot how to smile. She was adorable in a way, five feet tall. It was hard to believe that she would be sixteen in a matter of months.

The girl was sulking about an event from earlier that day. Her friends, the only family that she's ever had, save her brother. They were leaving…

For most of her life, she has been protecting them all. Watching their backs, helping them with homework and studies. Giving them advice and acting as the mother of the group. She was the mama bear. She was a protector.

But they were leaving her. Leaving the so called "nest". They were going off to join their country's military. Leaving her to her own devices.

Xira hated her country's government. Everything about it was unjust, and anything unjust was an abomination in her eyes. She trained hard just so that she could move somewhere else. Only those of Valkyrie rank could leave the country and that's where she was aiming. 6,900 points were required for that rank. Most men twice her age only made it to 3,000. She had 6,700. She was a prodigy.

Many advanced schools and organizations offered to have her come and train with their famous and most skilled mentors. But she declined them all. Every single last one. Just to remain with her friends…

And they were leaving her…

She settled herself down on the edge of the weathered, old statue, the stone betraying years of the massive thunder storms that Benkin was known for. She sat at such an angle that she would be able to stare at the water and the old coins that lay at the bottom of the fountain. Forgotten and unanswered wishes.

She turned her head towards the heavens, scrutinizing the stars and the answers that they provided for her. She was a girl that was obsessed with astronomy. Or rather, just the twelve constellations that she gazed upon now. The zodiac.

She believed that they would have all the answers. Every twinkle, every flicker and that would be the answer. It would tell her to be courageous like Leo or diplomatic like Libra, her own sign since she was born on the fourteenth of the tenth month.

This time the stars had no answer. She would have to blindly trudge through this mess.

A set of footsteps sound behind her. Fast. Heavy. Running. She didn't even have time to turn around. The moment that she made a move to turn, a pain rang through her skull. She fell over into the cold, icy water of the fountain, darkness enveloping her.

* * *

"You are the daughter of the most hated woman on this planet. You can't be trusted. War is coming on fast, and we don't have any room for potential traitors." A female voice rang out, echoing against the walls of a damp, dark cave that lied on the coast.

Xira finally emerged from her deep sleep. She was bound by several chains and immersed in warm water. A tank that towered over the crowd before her.

In the crowd were several familiar faces, all wearing the same expressionless façade. She tried to piece together what was taking place and came up with the only answer.

"You're going to murder me." She said. It was more of a statement than a question. The speaker of the voice stepped forward. The girl, her short blonde hair kept up in a bob, chuckled. Her eyes were a deep violet, causing her skin to be a sickly yellow. Ilana. A girl that Xira despised.

"Unfortunately. I'm sorry, Xira. But… It must be done. Like I said, you can't be trusted." She let out another high-pitched chuckle. She was enjoying the fact that her nemesis was going to die. She would then take the spot of being the strongest female. She was a sadistic, twisted child.

"Where's my brother?" the girl asked. Her enemy let out a sigh. "Away." She shrugged her shoulders. "Don't worry. We couldn't kill him if we tried." Xira accepted her answer. She was glad that her precious brother wouldn't be harmed.

Ilana nodded towards a tall, bulky boy. "Do it." She said. He was then handed a large bucket and headed over to the large tank. The girl scanned the crowed for a face. Her best friend. She _had _to see what expression he held. Her so-called best friend.

She spotted white hair, it's shiny, metallic glint reflecting every bit of moonlight in the cave. There he was. Zane. The boy she'd known for her whole life. His pale skin, along with his white hair, made him seem like some kind of ethereal being. His golden eyes were watery and ringed with purple. Crying. He had been crying.

He sucked in a breath, locking his jaw the moment when Xira's eyes locked with his own. A look of pure betrayal swept over her face. Her heart sank and her stomach twisted. Though her face showed no evidence. She would never let them see her weakness. That only fuels the enemy's intents.

The bulky boy had finally made it to the top of the ladder. He tilted the bucket, pouring what seemed to be a clear liquid into the water. By the time the darkling realized what the liquid was, it was too late for screams.

Benkin was known for the vast amounts of poisonous jellyfish. Many people were killed by the animal. One sting, and you would be gone in a matter of minutes.

The species floated closer and closer to the girl's body.

The screaming never stopped.

* * *

When she came to, bird calls filled the air around Xira. Tall trees stretched to the sky above. Grass tickled her bare thighs, making them itch.

She was clad in only dark navy shorts and a navy, sleeveless shirt of the same color. It was entirely too large. Most likely a man's. Her legs were bandaged, though they still stung. Every time she shifted, she was in pain.

"So you're finally awake?" A deep voice startled her, making her jump. She frantically searched for the source. She was taken aback by what she saw.

A man sat over to her right. He crouched next to a fire, tending to it, making it burn brighter. His skin was the color of the clearest of tropical waters. His hair was a deeper shade, like that of the depths of the ocean. On his shoulders were things that resembled gills. His eyes were small and white, his teeth were sharp. He was a shark in humanoid form.

Xira merely stared at him in awe, shocked and amazed by what she saw. She wasn't at all put off by the man's appearance. She was intrigued, for she had a curious spirit. She was also drawn to his handsome face, amazed that he was so good-looking despite of his abnormality.

"Are you going to speak or what, kid? I did pull you out of a lake, after all." She snapped out of her daze and spoke, amazed by the language that the man used. It wasn't her foreign tongue, yet she understood every word. She learned it back at home, but it was supposedly a dead language.

She spoke, her words flowing together fluently, slightly impeded by her accent. "I thank you for that." She was never one to forget manners. She continued to stare at the older man but never missed a beat. "Why do you look like a fish?" She asked. The man chuckled and shook his head. "That's a long story. I don't want to bore you with it." Xira nodded and quieted herself. She didn't want to pry anymore.

"How did you get those nasty stings?" She took a glance at the painful bandaged wounds on her thighs. "Murder attempt." She spat angrily. She was surprised, like the stranger, by her sudden hostility. "How? There's not an ocean for miles." Her face contorted with confusion. "What?" She asked. "We're near the Hidden Grass village, kid. Not an ocean for miles…"

The baffled girl shook her head. "That's impossible. I've never even heard of such a place. Show me a map." She ordered. The man obeyed, pulling a map out of a bag that was placed against a nearby tree. He then laid it on the ground next to her, pointing to a small country with a small, zigzagged symbol on it.

"We're here at the moment." The man said. Xira simply shook her head. She couldn't believe what was happening. The map looked nothing like her home. It was nothing like Ateria, which meant that she was on a different planet. She didn't truly complain, though. She was alive and was very grateful to be just that.

"But those are true jellyfish stings on your legs, which confuses me. I guess it's a mystery." He said. Xira nodded in agreement. It was a half-truth. It _was_ a mystery.

* * *

The blue man tended to the girl. He told her that his name was Kisame Hoshigaki.

She often questioned him about his motive. About why he was helping her. Surely a man like him had better things to do. He answered that he simply had a bleeding heart.

He was a wanted man, he told her. He was wanted all around. But that didn't really bother Xira. She was basically banished from her only home. They were both outcasts.

She asked him what he did that caused him to be wanted all over. War crimes. They were too much alike.

"Do you remember where you came from?" He asked. "Where you a ninja?" Xira didn't know how to answer the question. If she told him the truth, he would dub her insane. But she was a horrible liar, believe it or not. She settled for a half-truth instead.

"I'm from a place far away. Far from this place." She answered. "And as for the second question... I don't really know how to answer that. What do you mean by ninja? What's that?" He snorted. "You are clueless." He said. "Ninja are like warriors for their countries. The military." The girl nodded. She understood a little better. "I guess I was somewhat like that. I was training to get there. But not to be a ninja, so to speak. To be a Valkyrie. A female sword master. I was almost there."

Kisame nodded. He was kind, but Xira couldn't help but feel like a burden. She decided the moment that she would be able to walk, she was out.

"What happened?" He asked. The girl sighed. "I'm the daughter of a wanted woman…" she told him her story, leaving out the part about her coming from another planet.

Kisame simply shook his head when she finished, feeling sorry for the poor girl. "I'm sorry that happened to you." She shrugged, a gesture that contradicted her feelings. "I feel horrible about it. I feel that it's my fault, too. I've watched out for my friends my whole life, but I just walked out on them. I was selfish, thinking only about what I wanted and what I hated. Keeping my own goals in mind. They needed me, and I just walked out on them…" Her hands were balled up into tight fists. "I deserve everything that is happening to me now. I wouldn't be surprised if a bolt of lightning struck me right now…" She shook her head as if to shake the thoughts away. "I should compensate for my sins. I need to pay." Her sense of justice seemed to take over.

She felt as if having a major goal would push the true pain that she was feeling away. Like it would just vanish. But she was incredibly wrong. It would be duried for a short time and resurface at the worst moment.

The girl braced herself against the tree on which she leaned. She pulled herself upwards, heaving until she was on her feet. She removed her hands from the tree and was proud when she found that she could stand on her own. She took a step, and then another, ignoring the shocked glance she got from Kisame.

He shook his head in disbelief. "You had at least a whole two weeks of healing before you were able to walk…" She shrugged and trudged on, accustoming herself to the searing pain that arose every time her feet contacted the ground.

"Thank you for helping me so much. I'll repay you one day for your kindness. But I must leave now." She simply stated. She gave him a nod of acknowledgement and turned to walk away, biting back the pain that every step brought upon her. Kisame said nothing. He did nothing to stop her. Simply stared at the girl in awe, amazed by her strength and baffled as to why he couldn't feel any chakra emanating from her body.

* * *

"Yes. Whatever it takes." She hated the idea, but had no other choice. She couldn't find any other place that would hire a fifteen year old girl. This bar was the best thing.

It has been a week since Xira left Kisame. Her severe limp died down into a barely noticeable one. She could run now. She could jump and skip. The only difference was that it hurt a little.

The owner of the bar looked her up and down, surveying her body. He seemed to be only in his late twenties. Short, black hair, messy. His eyes were muddy brown. Xira shivered with disgust when those eyes roved over her small body.

"You wear breast bindings?" He asked. The girl nodded and slightly blushed. She doesn't tell people about things like this.

"What size are you, then?" He face grew hot. She struggled to control her embarrassment. If she turned blue, there would be trouble. She would end up with no job.

"I'm an A-cup…" That much was true. She has grown within the past year, but not much. She's been maturing at a fast rate. She was surprised when her buds finally developed into the small, perky things she had today.

The manager narrowed his eyes. "Follow me." He turned and wove through the tables which seated several men. They either spoke to one another or gawked at the women serving at their tables.

The girl was led to the back of the establishment. Into a small room. It was an ominous place. It was a bedroom, mainly designed for the "romantic endeavors" of its inhabitants. It simply had a large bed, it covered in a deep burgundy cover. A canopy of the same color hung over it, creating a nice shade over it.

The owner began to take his jacket off. The action struck fear into her very soul. "Show me how qualified you are for this job…" The girl let out a shaky breath, but didn't hesitate. She hasn't eaten in days. The pain in her empty stomach was becoming unbearable. She needed money, but didn't know how to go about this.

Her top was steadily pulled off by her own shaky hands. She flung it to the side proudly, her face betraying no signs of her discomfort. A smug grin crossed the owner's face as he sat on the bed. His eyes remained on her body.

She grabbed a kunai and sliced through her bothersome breast bindings. The manager let out a beatific sigh as her perky breasts were revealed. He stood and closed the small distance in between them. He reached out to her, causing her to flinch. His rough hand cradled her left breast. She winced at the touch and hoped that he wouldn't go any further.

"You're a virgin?" He asked. The girl nodded. She has never partaken in the act of reproduction ever in her life.

"Put your clothes back on." The owned neared her shirt, which was on the ground. He picked it up and threw it in her direction. "You can start tomorrow. Be here by eight." He watched her as she pulled the shirt back on. "My name is Satoshi. I'm the manager of this place. But when you get here, check in with a girl named Karin." With that, he left the room.

An exhausted sigh escaped the girl's lips. She solemnly closed her eyes and stood, still as a statue in her room. "He'll rue the day that he confused me for some street hag. That bastard will know pain." She said. She frowned at the comment. She was never fond of how she spoke. Profanity would slip through her lips uncontrollably. But sometimes she was able to stop it. But whenever she wasn't cursing, she was insulting people on the sly. _That_ was unstoppable. She didn't mind it, though. Not that much. It gave her the ability to mock and insult people without them ever knowing.

She exited the room. She pushed on through the door and left the establishment.

* * *

A pair of eyes, the color of the sky in its final hours, scanned the bar. Xira looked around at all the faces of the women that already worked there. Most young and pretty, a few old and worn. She gave in and asked a nearby woman, about the age of thirty, about the whereabouts of the one named "Karin".

"Excuse me, but could you point out a girl named Karin? I'm new and lost." She said with a light tone. She earlier decided that a sour mood only made enemies, and not friends.

The woman eyed her and said, "Sure. She's the one behind the bar. With the red hair. See her with the glasses?" Xira nodded and smiled at the kind woman. "Yes. I thank you kindly." The woman reached over to her and placed a kind hand on her shoulder. Her face was hard, like stone. It unnerved the young girl. "Prepare yourself, girl. You're pretty and young. Men go for girls like you. You need to be strong and smart, too." Xira gave her a knowing nod and a smile to calm her. "Thank you for the advice. I'll take it to heart."

She escaped the woman's grasp and headed to the far side of the bar. She weaved through the several, wooden tables and chairs, empty from the lack of customers. It was early in the day. Most people were asleep at this hour. The only things that the workers did now was clean up and prepare for the night and the customers that it brought.

She neared the bar and took a seat in one of its tall chairs. In order to sit she had to hop upon it.

The red-haired girl took notice of her and strode over. She smiled and greeted her. "And you must be the new girl!" Xira nodded. "I'm Karin. I'm the girl who mixes all the drinks here. You'll be the one who serves them. We'll be working together." She leaned on the counter, resting her head on her hand as she did so. She stared Xira in the eyes, seeming to stare into her very soul. "What's your name?"

"I'm Xira." She said. She surveyed the girl, also. Noticing how her bright, red hair flared out like fiery flames. Her eyes, a lighter shade, which were so strange to her being of a normal human's. White sclera with a colored iris and black pupil. Her lips were full and cover with gloss, her skin was completely clear. She wore a pale green kimono, laced with scarlet patterns of interlocking fish, each dancing around the last and next. The collar was in the shape of a low "v", exposing much of her cleavage.

"What brings you here? You don't seem like the type to work here. You speak like someone smart." Xira's brows contorted in confusion. "You've heard me speak before?" She asked. The girl nodded. "Yeah. Yesterday, when the boss was speaking with you, I stood outside the door. I was somewhat worried." The girl blushed from embarrassment while the other's heart seemed to grow warm, touched by the other's concern. "Thank you." She said. "I'm here because I have no money. I haven't eaten in days. My stomach is growling as we speak." She winced as her stomach let out another rumble in agreement with her words.

Karin spun on her heels and briskly strode off into the back. A place that seemed to be the kitchen. She then reappeared in less than a minute later. In her hands was a bowl of soup. She set it down in front of Xira and handed her a spoon. "Eat." She said. "I don't need you passing out on me when we start working."

Xira didn't waste a second. She ate the soup, struggling to not gulp it all down at once. She finished it in no time.

"Thank you so much…" She said. Words couldn't truly describe the girl's gratitude. Karin hopped over the counter, landing on the other side next to Xira. "Follow me. I'll show you where the baths are so you can bathe and get changed." The dark skinned girl obeyed, following her into the room that the other emerged from only minutes before.

* * *

The clamor and noise of the small tavern seemed to ring in Xira's ears. She could barely concentrate on the round tray of drinks in her hands, all of which were alcoholic. She carried them over to a table in the far corner of the building. She held her chin high and her back straight. She stood tall, showing no weakness to the men who eyed her hungrily as she approached. She took Karin's advice that she was told the day before.

_ "Show no weakness. If they see you get scared, that'll cause them to humiliate you even further. It only fuels their ambitions." _

It was something she couldn't afford to forget.

"Hey, sweetie! Nice of you to bring us our drinks!" A heavyset man called to her. He sat along with three other men. Several empty glasses were strewn out on the tabletop. They've already had plenty.

"No problem! It's my pleasure." She said in a light tone, hiding her original disgust. _Fat bastard. One could map out continents with your girth, _she thought. The man scratched his thin beard and chuckled. "Quite lacking in the breast department, don't you think?" he commented. His friends all agreed, similar remarks escaping their lips. Xira suddenly felt naked in her short kimono, it being a deep burgundy with a golden pattern of vines trailing the side. Much like Karin's own. It was also low-cut, though it didn't help at all with her problem.

"Oh, but what's in size? You should know that the quality is the most important factor." She set the drinks down on the table, one for each man. She wore a smile on her face, though her mind was screaming for reprisal.

"Oh? Maybe I'll see for myself one day." He wore a smug expression on his face. It made the girl's stomach churn. "Maybe you will, maybe you _won't._" With that, she was gone. She strode over to the counter where Karin waited for her.

The two girls forged a strong relationship within the past four days. Karin enjoyed it when her newfound friend would casually slip in insults while talking with a customer who was too much of an idiot to notice. She was so smooth about it. Once, a man, skinny as a pole with muscles to match, spoke to her. He tried to lie and say that he was a successful ninja in order to impress the women around him. _"Oh, yes!" _Xira said. _"I've never seen such physical prowess! I bet all of the daisies in my grandmother's garden would quiver in fear of your presence…" _ Karin couldn't help but laugh. How he didn't catch that, she didn't know.

And Xira was drawn to Karin and her wisdom and quick wits. She could switch her personality in the bat of an eyelash to match the situation. She knew exactly how to handle each situation. She knew how to avoid being one of the women pulled aside so that they could serve their customers' other needs. She protected Xira also. Their relationship, though quickly forged, was strong. They had no other choice but to become friends. They were the youngest girls in the cursed bar. If friendship was one option, mutual survival was the other. They chose friendship instead.

Xira began to recall one of their earlier conversations, when they were just getting to know each other.

_"Gemini?" Karin asked. She had no idea whatsoever what the girl in front of her was saying. She simply stared at her in confusion._

_Xira nodded. "Yes. You're a Gemini. Because you were born in June. It's your star sign." The girl was explaining the zodiac to her. She was a Libra, herself, her being born on the fourteenth October. According to her star studies, they were compatible. Their personalities matched up with one another._

_"What does it mean to be a Gemini?" the red head asked. Her friend smiled. This was her favorite part._

_"Oh. Energetic." A smile crossed her face. "Clever. Witty. Adaptable." She then leaned on the bar, placing her head in her hand and wagging a reprimanding finger in the air. "But on the negative side, they can be superficial, indecisive, restless, and devious." She smiled at her friend's gaping mouth. She was shocked that she had described her personality so correctly, so spot on._

_She snapped out of her daze and snatched her glasses off, wagging them back in the same fashion that Xira did. "Well, what are your traits, huh? I'm not just going to let you make fun of me like this!" She laughed. Xira shrugged. "I'm not mocking you in any way. I like your traits. The bad and the good. But if you must know, I'll tell you." She put the scolding finger down and thought about the topic._

_"Diplomatic." She didn't truly agree with that one, though her friend seemed to nod in approval. "Graceful, idealistic, peaceful." She shook her head. "None of those are true. I'm none of those things." Karin disagreed. "Yes you are. You may not notice it but I do. You may say some interesting things behind our customers' backs, but you try to lighten your mood so things don't get hairy. And you are graceful. Like a swan. I've never seen anyone weave through those tables like you. You do it without stumbling at all!" The girl tapped the end of her glasses on her friend's forehead, emphasizing her point._

_"Well. I still don't believe you. But the negative traits I agree with. Vain, unreliable, superficial indecisive." Karin held her hands up. "Nope!" she exclaimed. "I don't quite agree with the unreliable and superficial ones, but indecisive, yes! And vain…" Her sentence trailed off. "I won't get started on that…" Xira brought the reprimanding finger back. "Don't." she simply said._

The two couldn't bring their selves to stop laughing.

* * *

"These two drinks need to go over there to the man by the window." Karin nodded toward the front. Xira followed her uneasy gaze. She wondered what could be bothering her friend so much.

She soon understood when she saw Kisame sitting in the booth alone. He leaned back in the seat, arm slung over the back in a casual manner. He gazed out of the window, but Xira could clearly see that he was watching someone intently in the reflection of the glass.

Xira turned her attention back to her friend. "You know him?" She asked. Karin shrugged. "I've met him only once. When I was a ninja." Xira raised an eyebrow with mild curiosity, but didn't interrupt. "He was a former member of the Akatsuki, a criminal organization. He's wanted all over. What the hell is he thinking, coming out here?" Xira shrugged and grabbed the two drinks. She walked over to the fish-like man. He took notice of her coming in the window, and turned to face her.

"Long time, no see." He chuckled. "You work fast, girl." Xira scoffed at the comment. "I know no other way to live." She responded. She handed him the two drinks. She turned to return to her friend, but he stopped her. "Wait." He motioned to the seat across from him. "Stay. I need to talk to you." Confused, she slowly took the seat.

"You said that you felt that you needed to compensate for what you did to your friends. What exactly did you mean?" He asked. "I want to fight. They're all training right now. Getting stronger. I want to do the same." She stared at her own hands that rested on the table in front of her. Her dull eyes seemed to burn brightly despite of their color. A grin crossed Kisame's face. Those were the words that he wanted to hear.

For quite a while now, he has been looking for someone to inherit his power. An apprentice to teach all of his techniques to. He's come across many who's wanted to be that apprentice, but found none with the determined look that he was looking for. The look that this girl was giving him now.

"Become my apprentice." Her eyes snapped up from her hands, up to him. "What?" she asked. "I can help you achieve that. I am own of the Seven Deadly Swordsman of the Mist. I can teach you all that I know." She nodded her head before he said anymore. "I'll do it…"

* * *

"I hope we meet again. You were a good friend." Xira bade farewell to her friend. One that she honestly didn't want to part with.

The two girls embraced in front of the bar. "You were too good for all of this anyway. You should go out and do what I couldn't." She said. Xira shook her head. "You need to get out of here." She advised. "You're too smart for this." She ignored Kisame's urges for her to wrap it up. "Oh. I don't know. Maybe this is all there is for me..." Xira forcefully shook her head. "No. I know that you'll get out of here. I believe it. I've only known you for a week, but I know, without a doubt, that you can do anything. You can get yourself out of any trouble." She turned to walk away.

Karin shot her a smile and waved. She then turned and walked back inside of the bar, falling back into the old routine. She bit back her tears, fighting the sadness that took the place of her only friend. She would again be alone in this hellhole.

Xira walked behind the hulking, shark-like man, following him as he led her through the forest. They had just come across a large clearing. She kept her distance, not quite trusting him yet. But she took this opportunity to eye the massive sword that he carried on his back. The _Samehada, _he called it, wrapped up in bandages. A single, tiny skull decorated the hilt. She longed to reach out and grab the sword. She truly wished to swing the massive thing. She didn't doubt for a second about her wielding it. She was strong for her size. She could uproot a great oak if she wanted to.

The man took a quick glance at the girl behind him. She ogled the sword on his back. A wanting stare. He smirked at the thought. She would most likely try to reach out and take it. That would be a bad idea.

He spun on his heels, facing the young girl. He pulled out a kunai and with a quick flick of the wrist, he threw it in her direction.

The girl easily dodged the knife, side stepping and causing it to embed itself into the tree behind her. A look of pure betrayal crossed her face. "Excuse me?" she exclaimed.

"Show me what you can do. Then we'll start the real thing." He said. He pulled out his sword, not bothering to unwrap and free it of its bandaging. He would simply use it to bash her face in…

She assumed a battle stance, inheriting her mother's ability to mix dancing and fighting into one. She spread her legs and slightly lowered herself to the ground. Her hands formed tightly balled fists, each raised so that one was near her face while the other was outstretched. She uncurled the fists and held her fingers straight.

They both leapt into action, like two beasts that were perfectly timed together. They fought, Kisame flinging his massive sword about and Xira dodging each swipe. The blows exchanged were quick. One would have to truly train their eye to keep up with each hit. To see who hit who, and how often one was hit.

She almost suffered a painful blow. Kisame had flung out his sword in between a long string of punches. It caught her off guard. She bent her body backwards, just in time to dodge the blow. But she made a fatal error in doing this. Her right foot was vulnerable. It was closer to the older man than the other. She should have widened the gap in between them so that she would have time to recover, but she forgot the rule. Now she was wide open.

Kisame used his foot to kick at her leg, causing her to fall backward on her bottom and back. He held _Samehada _directly in front of her face. She lied still, admitting her defeat. She silently cursed herself for her fault and made a mental note to never let it happen again.

"You're good, but you've still got a long way to go." He said with a chuckle. She furrowed her brows. She already knew this of course, but she didn't need him to repeat it. She didn't like to hear things like that over and over again.

He placed his sword back on his back. His hand was then, outstretched to her, urging for her to take it. She did and was helped back on her feet.

The man wiped a bead of sweat from his brow, admitting that the girl had some strength and speed to her. He had to move fast in order to keep up. But one thing that she-no, they- would have to work on was her stamina. She tired easily, which could explained how she forgot to widen the distance after dodging that blow. She was so focused on catching her breath that she forgot. But he didn't worry. That was one of the things that he was known for. His stamina.

"You're quick and unbelievably strong for a kid your age. But what use is all of that when it disappears in under five minutes?" She scowled. He also admitted that she had a bad attitude. It spoiled her round, pretty face. Though, the way her nose scrunched up when she was pouted was strangely adorable. She seemed like an angry five-year-old to him.

He raised a large hand and let it fall on her head. She flinched, her every muscle tensing under the touch. But she soon found that he meant no harm in the gesture. He simply ruffled her hair. In the manner that fathers joke with their sons. Her heart seemed to warm at the gesture. If she had a father, he would have done this. Xira often wondered what would having a father been like. He wouldn't treat her like a princess, she knew. She was too masculine. She didn't play with dolls or wear dresses. Wearing one now was proving to be difficult at the moment.

She came to the conclusion that this is what it would be like. She found trouble in restraining her slight smile under the gesture.

* * *

"Where are we headed?" The dark-skinned girl asked as she munched on a sweet dango dumpling. She sat on a short wooden bench next to her Master, as she had grown accustomed to calling him. They had stopped at a small rest stop along the trail they had been traveling. She peered over his hands and at the map that he held.

"To the Mist?" she inquired. Kisame nodded his head. She was correct. They were heading to his home town, the Village Hidden in the Mist, to get her a specialized sword. They would train along the way, as they have been for the past few weeks. By the time they reached their destination, she would be completely done with the martial arts training. They would then travel the countryside. He would teach her swordsmanship, and after that, ninjutsu. He had everything planned out. And it should all flow smoothly, as long as they stayed in motion.

A small crowd caught Xira's attention, further down the road. It seemed to be some kind of procession. She scowled at the sight, for it seemed to be the procession of some sort of great, imperial escort. Two lines of men, four in each line, lead the march, followed by a large palanquin carried by at least four men to each pole. A team of eight men trailed behind.

"What's this?" Xira asked, more to herself than to her mentor. He looked up in the direction that she did, snorted, and directed his attention back to the map. "Must be some kind of feudal lord. Important guy. Wonder what could have caused him to leave his home town."

The procession grew nearer. Xira forced herself to ignore the march and continue eating her dango.

"Hey, you!" A masculine voice sounded near the two, turning each of their attentions towards the owner.

The palanquin was directly in front of them. Most of the servants kept their gazes ahead, but the one in the palanquin was the one that spoke to them.

He parted the curtains that hung over the window, holding the golden material so that he could stare the two dead in the eye. He had a bored, uninterested look in his eyes. His long black hair hung freely about his shoulders, and he wore a pale blue yukata. His skin was pale, his eyes were the color of a storming sea. Something about the boy was familiar to Xira.

"Yes?" Kisame answered, clearly not wanting to be bothered at the moment. He was finding that locating a safe route east was proving harder than he thought. He was not the strategist type. He often left things like this to his old partner, his best friend and lover. But he was gone now. He left to go finally be with his little brother, leaving Kisame behind. He didn't blame the younger male at all. He understood that his brother was the most important things above all else. But he couldn't help but wish that he was still with him.

He pointed to Kisame. "You're Kisame Hoshigaki, correct?" Kisame remained silent, affirming the boy's inquiry.

"You're being sought out. There are two teams of Hidden Leaf shinobi in that town back there. It would be wise of you to relocate yourselves." The two stared at him, confused. They were baffled as to why he would be telling them. Kisame was a wanted man. All of the neighboring countries wanted him dead or alive.

But that's when Xira finally remembered the boy's face.

She saw him once in the bar. He was alone, despite his status. He must've escaped his bodyguards.

He was there for the bar's "services". He had been eyeing several women there, but it seemed that none of them actually met his standards. But that was until his eyes fell onto a certain red head.

He wanted her. Bad. She had noticed his gaze on her back and became nervous, though she wouldn't say it herself. But Xira noticed. She was a smart girl. She could read a person's body language, and her friend's was saying that she was incredibly uncomfortable.

Xira shot him a glare back, but he wasn't scared off so easily. Their gazes locked for a second, for a moment, the tension between them seemed to almost suffocate the red head. Xira soon broke their eye contact. She angrily set a tray of drinks down on the table. She then grabbed her friend by the arm and dragged her into the kitchen.

But he still ended up with what he wanted in the end…

"Why are you helping us?" the girl asked. Her eyes met his once again. She scowled.

He finally spoke up. "I'm just helping an old friend. Long time, no see." This set Xira off. She abruptly stood and began walking away. In the direction that neither had ninja or stuck up pricks…

* * *

Xira glanced up at the tall bookshelves that stretched for as far as the eye could see. It was a nest of knowledge, not that she was into reading like that. She was only looking for one thing, and one thing only.

She was curious as to what this world's view on demons was like. On her home, they were basically humans with a long lifespan and immense powers. But here, they were more like giant monsters. Terrors. And since they lacked the ability to procreate with humans, darklings never happened on this planet. Lucky for them.

She came across a fairly large book. The covers were a deep wine-red color, the pages were old and beige. Their scent indicated age.

She grabbed the book and set it down on an old wooden table, leaning over it as she read. And dusted off the cover, sending the dust away in a flurry. She flipped through the first few pages, glancing at the title.

"_**Mysteries of the Darkling Race"**_

This caused Xira's eyes to grow wide. She shook her head and stared at the title again, as if she was taking a second look in order to affirm what she just saw. Below the title was an author's note, despite the fact that the author's name was never printed.

_**This book is an account on a magnificent race from a place billions of years from our own tiny, blue planet. Aliens, if you would. They're different. Different body compositions, strange appearances, different customs and traditions. A marvelous wonder of a race. They call their selves "darklings" for they are to believed to be the children of demons and humans. But despite of the many dissimilarities, they indeed are very close to our own race. **_

_**I wrote this book to help others see the whole picture. That we aren't alone. Our planet, despite its vast expanses, is merely a tiny speck in the universe. A tiny dot, merely a millimeter wide, on a large mural of a portrait of stars. We fight among ourselves, wars, disputes, racism, and impede our progress. Instead of bickering amongst ourselves, we could be all racing toward the goal of meeting this new race, and shaking the hands of countless others. With all the magnificent abilities on this earth, we use them against each other. Beating each other down when we really should be helping each other up the ladder. **_

Xira laughed to herself. "Fucking. Idiot." She murmured to herself. Only an idiotic idea like that could bring her to use such foul language.

It was cute. How this man so wanted to meet her race. Like a child wanting a pet tiger. It seems like a good idea, but when you are actually dumb enough to do it, it proves to be your undoing. The darkling race was a dangerous one. Hot-headed and rash. Without its leader, the Queen, her home planet would be reduced to blood-thirsty, murderous vandals. Barbarians. They would have eventually turned into a race of invaders and began to attack neighboring planets.

The book was fascinating. It contained extremely detailed information on the entire darkling race. From eye and blood color, to each and every sub-race. And that was only the first chapter…

The rest of the book contained several magic techniques. From elemental type to healing. From dark to light. It was a treasure trove of information.

It was now Xira's.

The girl slipped the book into her backpack, so quickly that no one saw. She then continued scanning the titles of the books that lined the shelves. She ran the tip of her finger against the old spines, feeling the indentations of the printed letters.

"Xira." Her master called out to her. He told her that it was time to go. He was tired and wanted to retire for the night in the comfort of a nice inn. She felt the same, but she was looking for something else.

"One second." She replied. She scanned several more books. All were some kind of reference material. Her eyes fell on a dark, midnight-blue book, laden with tiny white specks. On the spine it read, "_A Detailed Report on Astrology and Synastry." _She, having an odd obsession with the stars, simply had to have it.

She grabbed the thick book and also slipped into her pack, without other eyes seeing her deed. She then caught up with her master and left the building.

* * *

"Melodramatic little girl." Kisame sighed as his student huffed at the statement. She crossed her arms and unconsciously pouted, sticking her lips out in such a way that reminded him like a spoiled five year old. He laughed at the thought, though his nerves were getting worse by the minute. Her vocabulary was vast and she usually carried herself like some kind of queen, but she was honestly just a child.

"Fine, don't bathe. But don't expect to sleep in the bed." He shrugged and trudged off to the bathhouses, leaving her behind. He knew exactly what she would do. Spending nearly three months with the girl, she had already grown on him. He liked her already. She was smart and usually did most of the thinking in between them, though he was the _teacher_. He often forgot that she was only just a child.

She stared at his retreating back in disbelief. Inside her was a currently brewing internal battle. She could not bathe, but remain with the scent of dead animal emanating from her skin, or she could bathe in the unisex bath house and suffer from the mortification that came with bathing in front of others.

She finally gave in, with an aggravated click of the teeth. She slowly trudged on behind him.

She waited as he undressed himself in the dressing room, waiting out in the hall. She silently cursed herself for not dressing first.

He gave her the okay as he left the room and entered the hot spring. He let himself slip into the warm water.

Xira followed soon after, holding a white washcloth over her lower lady regions while covering the north with her arm. She stuck her tongue out at her master with a scowl.

"You have a bad attitude. You know that?" He said with a smirk that he couldn't restrain. "I know. Most of the men in my town would tell me that I would never get married because of that. But fuck marriage, I don't need it." Kisame chortled at that, shaking his head. "That's the very same thing that I thought. But you will never know. You just might meet someone who will put up with you. Or worse, love your attitude." The girl crossed her arms and scowled.

The rest of their bath went by quickly with the constant snarky comments and amused replies. The two were really growing on each other. Xira loved her master already, his bemused insults seeming endearing to her. And the same was for Kisame. He loved how Xira was always quick and witty with her words.

* * *

"What are you looking at, you lecherous asshole?" She snapped. He had tuned her last question out. One that was important. Kisame had been surveying his surroundings. Or rather, ogling the women outside.

They were now dining in their room. They wore matching robes. The soft, comfortable things that the inn offered up to its guest to sleep in. A small table sat in the center with food spread out across the surface. They sat facing each other, though that didn't help much with their conversation. He had been looking out of a window and into a nearby garden where a group of women played about.

"Taking in the sights. Nothing that a child like you would understand." Her eyes narrowed at the comment. Her face began to grow hot and her temper flared. "Can you at least answer me, then? After that, you can just go back to whatever it is that you were doing." He frowned, but turned his attention back to his student.

"The Konoha shinobi, Master! What do we do about them! If we keep going on like this, they'll eventually catch up to us." She said, irritated to no end. He sighed and thought about it for a while. His plan was to just run, and keep running. But now he saw that his student had a point. They couldn't keep running forever.

"We'll have to shake them somehow." He simply said. "But _how_ is the true question." The girl went silent. She didn't even know where to start. It wouldn't be an easy task. Shinobi were smart. They couldn't be shaken easily. An elaborate, fool-proof plan was in order.

* * *

Xira lied wide awake in her bed. She peered into darkness though it wouldn't allow her to see. She was supposed to be asleep, so when it was her turn to be the look out, she wouldn't be tired. But the looming threat wouldn't let her drift into oblivion. Her eyelids weren't at all heavy. Sleep was unattainable.

Her master sat on the edge of his own bed. He polished his many weapons, smirking in satisfaction when he saw that his reflection could be seen.

"You should get some sleep." He simply said. Not for a second did he take his attention off of the knife he held. Xira continued to stare at nothing in particular. "I can't." He laughed at the comment, but she didn't think that there was anything funny.

She bolted upright and downright glared at the man. Wasn't he aware that danger was lying just around the corner? If they were to run into trouble, there would be no telling what would happen. It was insane to think that they could actually outrun or fend them all off, the shinobi. It would be up to her to devise a plan since her mentor clearly wasn't known for his brain power…

_**Aaaaaand... Cut! That's chapter one! Please give me feedback! Let me know if everything's good and all. Give the doggy a treat to let it know that it's doing a good job. :D**_


	2. Chapter 2

"Back off! This fish is mine!" Orange eyes bore into violet. Xira glared at the stranger that placed his hand firmly on the counter of a fish stand. They argued over who was to get the last tuna.

The stranger was about her age if not older. His teeth, the first thing that she noticed about him, resembled her own, being sharp and pointed. His mouth remained in a twisted, smug smirk, as if the boy knew how this would end. His violet eyes stared down at her, seeming to smile down at her.

"No, because this fish is mine. I'm not letting you take the last one. I was here first." He said. Xira quirked an eyebrow. "You weren't! I beat you here!" She was getting angry. She had no patience for liars.

"No. I had my hand on the counter first!" She growled at the boy. "That's bullshit!" She turned her attention back to the vendor. "I'll be taking this tuna, please." The boy held a hand out. "Actually, I'll be taking it. This girl clearly doesn't have any sympathy for disabled people." The poor vendor simply stared at the two, confused and lost.

Xira snapped her attention back to the boy, his peculiar, blue-tinted white hair seeming to be glowing in the hot afternoon sun. "Disabled how!" She hissed. He motioned a hand towards his legs. They were thoroughly wrapped in bandages under the shorts that he wore. "Oh, sure." She said sarcastically. "Because you totally didn't run over here trying to beat me to the fish." He interjected. "Limped." A sigh escaped her mouth. "So what about now? You don't look like you're having any problems standing at the moment." He shifted his weight to the opposite foot. "Actually, it's quite painful, thank you very much. At any moment, my knees might give out." Her widened eyes glanced at his legs. "But you are perfectly fine! I'm looking at you! There's nothing wrong!" She cut off whatever he was going to say next with an upraised hand. "I'll be taking that fish. How much will it be?" She angrily told the vendor. The boy attempted to say something else. "No! I'm taking it!" She handed the vendor her money and took the fish. She then angrily scuffled away.

"Get away from me." She grumbled when she realized that the boy was following her. "You're kinda cute. Can I get a name?" She stopped in midstride. "You're joking, right? You're insane if you think that I'll give you a name…" She shook her head and kept going. He still pursued her. "Well, I'm Suigetsu." She rolled her eyes. "Sure. I'll remember that. I'll put it on my list…" She rounded a street corner.

She ran into a brick-like surface. She almost thought that she had been hit by a cart. But when she took a look, she saw that it was only a man. His hair was a fiery orange, and wild like fire itself. His eyes were the same color. Xira could only stare into those eyes as the man grabbed her by the shoulders and helped her right herself.

"Sorry. I should have been watching where I was going." She said with a scowl. She eyed the boy beside her who had been still following. "I was just trying to get away from this lunatic." The flame haired boy smiled. "My apologies. I'm sorry that my friend has been bothering you. He does have a tendency to pester pretty girls…"

"Geez, Juugo. You make me sound like some skirt chaser…" Juugo. Xira recognized this name. Though she was not sure of where she heard it.

"She was the one who took the last tuna." The boy shrugged. "Looks like we'll have to settle for ramen, buddy." Juugo merely shrugged. "Ladies first. I'm fine with ramen." Xira nodded in a haughty manner. "That's right." She pointed to Juugo. "He's a true gentleman. You should learn from him."

That's when it hit her. Gentleman. Karin mentioned the boy. He was Juugo.

Karin had fell in love with the boy, but too late to actually admit it. She ignored his every confession, choosing to chase another over him. But when she realized that she loved him, it was too late. He was gone. They had went in separate ways. She regretted not telling him her feelings.

"Wait." She said. "Would you, by any chance, know anyone by the name of Karin?" One could see the recognition in his eyes. "Do you know where she is?" he asked. Suigetsu rolled his eyes. "Oh god. You're serious about finding her?" Juugo told the boy to shut up before redirecting his attention to the girl. "Yes. Travel west. Last time I saw her, she was working at a bar. We worked together for a short time." A smile crossed his face. "Thank you." He turned and began walking in the other direction, Suigetsu following closely behind. "Tell her that I said hey. Xira." They nodded and affirmed that they would.

* * *

According to the text that she "borrowed" from the library, there was a teleporting technique. One that allowed darklings to transport matter from one place to another via the dark arts. Not everyone could perform this. Darklings with complete control over their mana could do it.

The girl sat cross-legged in the center of a grove. The sun was high in the sky, indicating that it was noon. She rested an elbow her knee as she peered at the pages, tanned and torn with age. A bead of sweat traveled down the small of her bare back. The blistering heat was getting to her. She had to strip to avoid passing out. She wore a black sporty-like bra along with a pair of loose-fitting shorts, much like the ones she started out in.

She didn't have the slightest clue where Kisame went, but she didn't complain. She was going to use this valuable time to try out the technique.

She noticed the name of the technique on the top right corner of the page. _Mitro Iterme, _or 'flash step' in her language.

The raven-haired girl rose from the ground, stretching out the kinks in her back. She took a couple of steps back and stood tall. Her hands fell limp at her side and her head, lowered in concentration.

The warm breeze rippled through the air, easing her into a state of peace. Though it was a stifling wind, it still kicked off the shift in her mana that she needed. She could feel the power surge through her body even faster.

She shut her eyes as a peculiar, numb feeling enveloped her right foot. It started to slowly spread, and reach up her legs.

She drew in a sharp gasp when she finally opened her eyes. At first, it seemed that she was shorter than she thought. But as she took a glance down, she realized that half of her body was submersed in the ground.

It was like she had jumped into a pool of water, only she wasn't wet. She frantically looked around for her lower half and saw it hanging in midair approximately ten feet to the left. They looked as if they were peeping out of the water, like she was doing a handstand in a pool. She kicked her feet. They did so.

She closed her eyes once again and willed for the rest of her body to follow. She eventually slipped through the ground, like a fish slipping out of a fisherman's grip, and fell through the hole. She smiled at the success. All she needed to do was integrate this into battle somehow.

* * *

"A storm is brewing." Xira surveyed the darkening clouds overhead. "It looks like a bad one." She replied. "Maybe we should find a place to stay." She quickly suggested. She has always been guilty of a fear of thunderstorms. Kisame nodded. "There's a village nearby. We can stay there."

It was mid-August. The pair had been jumping from village to village. Training and occasionally earning money (that was mainly Xira's job). The girl has been making exceptional progress with chakra control. She's learned how to create water clones and a great deal of techniques that involved water. She had also been working on the Mitro Iterme. Each time she tried the move, it would be faster than the last.

They decided to stay at an inn at the nearest village. They paid enough for the night, staying in a room so much like all of the others that they've stayed in before.

Xira stood in the mirror that covered the wall as her master plopped down on the bed. She brushed a strand of hair back in place and eyed her outfit. She bought a new one. She got rid of the long, burgundy kimono that she wore and replaced it with a short, cerulean blue kimono. This time, it was laced with nice silver vines. She received compliments on how it looked perfect on her small frame. She would smile and swing her hips.

"You're going somewhere?" Kisame asked. The girl nodded. "I'm going to go look around. Explore. I'm a fifteen year old girl. I'm curious." She said as she walked out of the room. Kisame merely peered over the covers at her retreating form and congratulated himself on finding such a great student.

Xira wandered through the halls of the inn, peeping in various rooms. Rooms especially designed for the entertainment of the guests. A music room, an art room. Several dining areas and even a hot spring. But she was more interested in the game room.

She rounded the corner and peeked into the last room at the end of the hall. Life seemed to pour out of the room. She smiled as she saw several people, colorful characters, playing games and joking with each other.

She kept herself hidden as she looked around, scanning each face. At least eight people in all, along with a rather large dog.

She watched two boys as they were in the middle of an intense ping pong match. On one end was a blonde-haired boy. His skin was tanned to perfection, his eyes, blue like the sea. He laughed as he smack talked to his opponent.

The other boy was the exact opposite of the first. Pale with dark, emotionless eyes. His dark hair was fashioned awkwardly in a fashion that suited him. Like he had been shocked a thousand times over. He merely smirked as the ball passed by the other.

The blondie retrieved the ball and restarted another round. Xira had to fight restrain the giggle that arose when the two continued. The goofy smile on the blonde's face made her smile.

Another boy, one with an animalistic glint to his eyes and dark, spiky hair, walked over to survey the game. His eyes followed the ball as it traveled back and forth down the table. He suddenly, faster than a lightning bolt, reached out and smacked the ball out of its path. The two boys sighed and stared at him. The others laughed at the scene.

Xira bit her lip to restrain a laugh. She then continued on down the hall.

The girl returned to the music room that she saw before. Different instruments of all types were strewn about the room. She ignored them all though, taking a seat at the bench of a nearby piano. She lowered the cover onto the keys and rested her head on her arms.

Her family was a musical one, yes, but she couldn't play an instrument to save her life. What she could do was sing and dance, especially the latter. Her body was flexible. She was as graceful as a swan, which came in handy when she got into fights.

She raised her head and lifted the cover off of the keys. Her fingers glided across the surface. She struck a key. The note resonated throughout the room. She then dragged her fingers across all of the keys, creating a series of notes.

"I'm so bad at this." She said. "Why am I even here?" She continued to strike the keys, creating several sour notes. This was not her specialty. She was a mover. She couldn't just sit still. She had to move her body. Her body was her art. That was how she conveyed her feelings.

"What are you doing?" Her fingers froze in midair. She turned from the piano and faced the doorway where a boy stood. He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed and gaze fixed on her. It was the pale boy from the ping pong table.

"Playing the piano." She said. He let out a chuckle. "It sounds like you're mauling it." The girl smiled at his remark, revealing her sharp, white teeth. The boy could merely stare at her, taken aback by her appearance. She was a strange one. Her pointed teeth, pupil and iris-less eyes. Her pointed ears and tiny white horns. She was an exotic girl. Foreign. He had never seen anyone like her before.

He had never seen someone as peculiar as her, who was beautiful at the same time.

Her smile seemed to outshine all of her peculiar features. She had dimples...

He remained at his spot on the doorframe. She replied to his comment. "Well, I _know _that I'm bad at this. I'm a dancer. Not a musician." He eyed her body and took notice of her small frame. "You dance?" He asked. The girl nodded as she struck another sour note. He cringed at the noise.

"Yes. I do." She stopped and rethought her answer. "Used to. I'm training at the moment." She lowered the cover back onto the keys.

"What are you training for?" he asked. "That's none of your concern." The boy quirked an eyebrow at the lack of answer.

"Why were you watching us back there?" he asked. Xira turned to face him. She searched his appearance for the thing that would confirm her guess. Her eyes dropped rested on the belt that he wore around his waist. It bore the symbol of the Leaf Village.

"So you _are _a ninja." He nodded. He was going to speak once more but was cut off by the booming thunder outside. Xira flinched at the noise. She wasn't aware that it had started raining already.

The pale boy was unfazed by the noise. He merely grabbed a wooden chair from the corner and brought it up by Xira, taking a spot by her. He was curious about her. Who wouldn't be curious about a girl with horns?

"Looks like you're here to stay, huh?" he smirked as he leaned over the back of the chair, sitting backwards in his seat. "Yes. It seems that you need some company by the way the thunder made you jump." She shot him another smile, making his heart jump again at the sight of her teeth. "It's nothing, I guarantee you. Just a silly fear that my grandmother invoked." He tilted his head with curiosity. "Oh?"

She rested her head on the piano once more. "Mhm. When I was a little girl, my grandmother would try and keep me in line by telling me tall tales." The boy furrowed his brow in confusion. "I know, right?" She said, agreeing with his expression. "She would make up all kinds of things. Like, 'if a bad child keeps her hand in the refrigerator for too long, it'll bite it off.' It worked, though." She raised her voice to sound like her dear old grandmother's. She loved the woman dearly. It ached her heart to know that she would probably never see her again.

The boy quietly urged her to go on with the curiosity in his eyes. "But the one story that truly struck me with fear was the one with thunder storms. She would tell me that lightning was drawn to negativity. That was when I was going through a stage where I did nothing but mope all the time." The boy let out a small chuckle. "Did it work?" he asked. The girl nodded vigorously. "Yes! A little too well, if you ask me. I am still slightly afraid of lightning." As if confirming her words, a loud boom sounded outside, causing her to jump once more. "I see." The boy said.

"What's your name?" Xira asked. She had told this boy about her fear of lightning and didn't even know his name, which unnerved her. "Sasuke Uchiha." She took the name in. "I'm Xira. Xira Merid."

The boy tried the name out, letting it roll off of his tongue. "I'll have to remember that name."

"Why is that?" she asked. She pulled at her ears. "Oh. Let me guess. It's the way I look, huh?" She smiled, making a goofy face. It was a contagious smile. It caused Sasuke to allow a smirk cross his face.

The soft rhythm of rain against glass filled the room, creating nice background music throughout the building.

"It's finally raining." She sighed. She eyed the door. "I should go. Before it gets bad." He interrupted her attempt to escape. "Leaving so soon? I was hoping that we could speak for a little longer." She hesitated but soon abandoned all hopes of leaving. She just hoped that the rain wouldn't freak her out so badly.

He continued to stare at her. Her peculiar appearance. How did she get like that? Was she born that way?

"Excuse my bluntness," he started. "But why do you look like that?" he asked calmly.

Xira merely stared at the boy. She had never had anyone ask her that question. No one ever bothered to. The villagers that they passed on the roads merely stared. Not even her own master cared much about it. He had no room to talk. He was a giant blue man.

"I was born like this." She said slowly, trying to think of the right words to say. "My… People are very different from… Your own." She cringed at her selection of words. He let out an understanding "ah" and nodded. "I see." He said. "You're not from here. I can tell by your accent." The girl's hands went up to her throat. "Accent?" She asked. "I wasn't aware that I had one."

She laughed. "It must sound weird to you, huh." He shrugged. "It sounds," he paused. "Different. You said that you sing, right?" She nodded. "Sing something for me." He shot her a smug smirk. She merely gaped at the boy. "Right now?" He nodded.

The girl drummed her fingers on the surface of the piano, letting them fall on the slick, black wood. "What should I sing? I don't know any songs in your language." He opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted when she began to hum a tune. "That shouldn't be much of a problem. Just sing something in yours."

She nodded and smiled when she thought of the perfect tune. A light tune that her grandmother used to sing with her. It was such a nice tune that her brother would even join in at times. After all, the tribe that they descended from was known for its musical abilities. Their small family was living proof of that. Her brother was a marvelous musician. Her "nanna" had a voice as sweet as honey. Xira, herself, was a dancer. She would break out into a dance while just listening to music. She was often told that she had fire soles. That she couldn't stay still at all.

The reminiscing almost made her eyes water.

She shook out of her daze and cleared her throat. She then began to sing softly. A song about a frog prince who grew tired of waiting and began looking for his princess.

It was a silly, nonsense filled song that barely made any sense. But that's how Xira remembered it after all of those years.

Sasuke watched her intently as she sang. He didn't understand what she was saying. Not even a small bit of it. But he could see that she was enjoying herself. She would occasionally trip over her words. She would laugh, a goofy, contagious sound, and then pick up where she left off. It must've been a children's song since she made silly voices and croaking noises as she sang. She was completely insane. Off her rocker.

And he loved it, though he wouldn't admit it.

Most girls would never think of acting like this in front of him. They were never this relaxed. They worried often about what he thought about them.

He smiled as she ended her song with a chuckle. She was out of breath, panting as if she had run a marathon, but fast paced songs did that to you. Her laughter was contagious.

He couldn't help but laugh. If only a little.

"That was great." He said. She shook her head. "No it wasn't. I kept messing up. And my voice is nothing compared to Nanna's. It's like a dying animal compared to hers." He disagreed. "It was still good."

Another thunder clap sounded outside. Xira still flinched…

"Hey, Sasuke!" A loud, energetic voice sounded behind the two. It was the blonde boy from earlier. He paused when he saw Xira's face. "We're heading up to the rooms for the night. The storm's about get to get bad." He stated. Sasuke nodded. "Alright, Naruto." The boy then left.

"Are you here on a mission?" Xira asked. The boy nodded. "Why are you guys staying here then? Shouldn't you be completing it?" He nodded again. "We were, but the bastard that we were tailing is an elusive one. We're just resting up before we head out again. We've been chasing him for a while. It's tiring." He contorted his face in disgust.

She laughed at his expression but was cut off when Naruto reappeared in the doorway.

"And one more thing. Is there any way to cure a hangover?" Xira burst into laughter. Sasuke merely glared. He was growing angry at his friend for interrupting his conversation. "No, idiot. There's no way to cure a hangover. You could always _not _drink…" Naruto grimaced at his friend's sour mood. Xira interjected. "You should drink a lot of water, though. That makes it disappear sooner…" Naruto smiled and thanked her. "Thank you. You are much more help than the asshole over there. Get the stick out of your ass!" he reprimanded as he walked away for the second time.

"Don't be so sour next time." She scolded with a smile. She wagged a finger at him. "You could have been nicer." He rolled his eyes. "I don't do nice." She smiled. "You should try. You have a nice smile."

The thunder sounded once more, ten times louder than before. Xira let out a small squeak as the lights flipped off. Sasuke laughed at her reaction. His expression was now cloaked in darkness.

"Fuck." She murmured. He laughed again. "Are you okay?" She seemed shaken up. The moonlight that poured into the room through the window was the only light available. He could see that she was shaking, only a tiny bit. She was sitting up straight in her seat, gripping the sides tightly.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Just startled. A habit I need to get out of." A flash of lightning lit up the room. A sharp gasp escaped her lips as she merely hung her head, bit her lip, and shut her eyes. Sasuke sat up in his seat, straining to see her face in the darkness.

He kept telling himself to never get attached to people on missions, like how his friend, Naruto, did. It only invited pain. The pain of departing when the mission was over. Pain that he had no more room for. At this very moment, a mantra was being repeated in his head. _Don't get attached. Don't get attached. Don't get attached, _he thought. But he couldn't bring himself to leave this girl. He couldn't separate himself from her goofy personality. It lightened his already heavy soul, if only for a little bit. The longer he stayed in her presence, the more he became attached.

He placed a hand on her shoulder, an awkward attempt at comfort. She tensed a little under the touch, but soon relaxed herself. She smiled, a smile that was nearly invisible in the darkness. A beautiful smile that she used to convince him that she was okay, despite the fact that her whole body shook and her eyes were shut tight. Sasuke cursed the darkness for enveloping such a smile.

"Geez. Are you worried? I'm fine. A little static isn't going to bother me. I'm not a baby…" A laugh escaped her lips.

Little did she know that the statement won the boy's heart.

The employees at the inn went about the building, bringing people candles to light the rooms. Sasuke and Xira took a place in the center of the room, sitting casually in the middle of the floor. She sat, legs folded, by the leg of the piano from earlier. He sat across from her. He rested his arm on a propped leg and used the other to hold his body up.

They've been talking for hours, with her using energized hand movements and him nodding his understanding. They didn't give a care about the fast-moving hour hand of the clock, or the raging storm outside. Xira had long gotten over her fear of lightning and she had him to thank. He made her smile, his smug comments and cocky attitude made her laugh when it would make others swoon. She thought it was cute when others would think it was sexy. And Sasuke found himself drawn to the girl's goofy attitude. She often mocked the people that she mentioned, performing comical impersonations of them as she brought them up. Her personality, bold, loud and silly, seemed to lighten his sour mood that the wild goose chase invoked. The way he would awkwardly give her compliments made her smile. His pride hindered his courtship skills and made it difficult for him to properly woo the girl. She was the first one that _he _wanted to impress.

"It's getting late." She said while glancing at the clock on the wall. "It past twelve. Should we be getting back?" He shook his head. "Only if you want to. Personally, I would prefer to stay for a couple more hours. There's no telling what my teammates could be doing up there." He glanced up at the ceiling, cringing at the thought.

"But what will they think? You're here alone with a girl, in the dark with a lighted candle. They'll think that it's some kind of date." He smirked. "It can be, if you want it to be." Her face burned. He stared at her cheeks, confused. He could barely see in the dark, but he could swear that her face was turning blue at the moment.

The girl stood. "Leaving so soon?" He asked. She nodded. "Yes. I'm afraid that I must go. Something like this could only bring trouble. You're on a mission, and I'm traveling across the continent. We'll probably never see each other again." He stood also. He stared intently into her dull, orange eyes that had distracted him for so long. "Then find me. Or I'll find you. I'm a Leaf Village shinobi. That's my home. When you're done with your training, you should stop by…" he said, not sure of what he was doing. She madly blushed, causing her face to look like cerulean sapphires. "Your face is blue…" He bluntly stated.

She reached up and buried her cheeks in her hands. "Oh! Um… Well." She started. "My blood… Funny story, y'know. It's blue." He peered closely at her face, eyes widening with realization. "Wow. That's a first." He stooped down to pick up the candle. "You'll be leaving once the rain lets up, will you?" The girl nodded. "Most likely." She said. "If it doesn't, will you meet me here tomorrow?" he asked. "It would be nice to speak again." She smiled and nodded. "I would gladly meet you back here. Noon? If it doesn't stop raining, that is."

"Noon."

The two departed with a final good night and a smile.

* * *

The hot sun bore down, once again, on Xira's head. Her black hair seemed to retain heat. She kept her head lowered, eyes away from the bright sun. Her heart was heavy, for she didn't get a chance to say goodbye to Sasuke before she left.

Her dreams were thoroughly blessed with visions of him. They were walking down the Boardwalk, a place near her hometown. They held hands, him kissing her own every now and then. Then, music would start playing and they would rush to the dancefloor. They danced together, having the time of their lives.

"What's wrong with you? You've been staring out into space for the past ten minutes." A massive blue hand waved in front of her face. She smacked it away. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Just a little tired. The rain kept me up."

She felt like a child being pulled away from an amusement park. The inn called out to her, promising happiness, even if it was for a mere few hours. Even if she was conversing with the very person who jeopardized her very freedom.

She was livid when she learned of his true identity. When she returned to her room at the inn and let her whereabouts slip to her mentor…

_"Idiot." He mumbled. "Those were the very people that we're trying to avoid!" She grimaced, upset that she was so blinded by relentless wooing that she didn't see it. "I'm sorry." She said. The apology was like vinegar on her tongue. "I had no idea." _

"Were you that distracted by flirting that you couldn't see it?" He joked. She growled. "Would you please, let it _go_?" He had been pestering her about it all morning. Like an overexcited mother seeing her daughter taking an interest in dating for the first time.

He continued on, earning glare from the girl. "Who would have known? My student, the very person who said herself, 'Merid women don't need men', has a crush. Funny that you keep contradicting yourself." She flipped the man off, losing all sense of respect that she had before. He placed a hand on the hilt of his sword. "I'll cut it off." She lowered her hand.

* * *

"You're cutting your hair?" She mumbled a small "yes" before pulling the sharp knife out of her bag. She sat along the side of a small stream. She stared into its depths at her reflection that stared back at her. She was sick and tired of her hair. It got in the way. It would capture the heat that enveloped her during the hot summer days. Her neck would be on fire. She also thought that it would be a good idea to switch up her style every once in a while.

She chopped a small chunk off. The black snippet of hair gently floated down onto the surface of the stream. Her eyes followed it as it floated down. She couldn't stop now.

It took over an hour to perfect her hairstyle. Her once long hair now stopped at her chin, slightly layered. She left her bangs untouched.

She turned towards her teacher and asked him for an opinion. She didn't even expect one, honestly. She didn't think that he would care much about it.

"It fits you." He simply said, never peeling his attention away from his weapons.

She smiled and thanked him for the opinion.

* * *

"Pleaaaaase?" Xira pressed her hands together and stood her ground in front of her master. "We have to go!"

Kisame raised an eyebrow. "Why would you want to go get your fortune read? I thought you didn't care about things like that." He chuckled.

They now stood in the heart of a rather large village, located in the Land of Hot Water. It's been two weeks since the girl's encounter with the Leaf shinobi that seemed to have captured her heart.

She glared at him and lowered her hands. "Just this once, please? This is my first time ever seeing a shop like that. I want to get my fortune read!" The man shrugged, finally giving in to the request. "Fine." He said as he waved her away. "But meet me on the southern end of the village by nightfall."

She barely gave him time to finish his sentence before heading for the tiny shop.

It was a tiny space. Violet curtains blocked the sunlight from entering. Shelves laden with various types of trinkets covered the wall. Some whimsical and enchanting, like colorful stones and bracelets. Some that were just downright creepy, like animal embryos. She didn't think much of those things, though.

An old woman sat alone in the far corner of the shop. She sat in a wooden chair, across from an empty one exactly like it. Her graying hair and wrinkled face suggested that she was well past fifty. She wore a simple kimono, colorful. Its main color was a pale pink. Other colors included pale greens, blues, and gold.

She eyed Xira as the girl approached. "Are you going to sit or just gawk at everything?" The woman asked. Xira took the hint and sat.

"I assume that you want your fortune read, huh?" The woman asked. The girl nodded her head. "How much will I need to pay you?" she asked. The woman held up a hand. "No pay will be needed. Your fortune is an interesting one. I wouldn't make a girl like you pay."

The woman crossed her legs before continuing. "Love is coming your way, girl." She simply said. Xira tilted her head. "It'll be a strong love. One that will blossom with the first sigh of autumn." This perked her attention. It was late summer now. Fall was just around the corner. How would she be able to meet someone before fall begins when all she did was travel?

The woman held a finger up, as if she heard the questions arising in Xira's head. "You're a Libra, correct?" She nodded. "Yes. Beware of Leos. That is the sign that will capture your heart. A person who will be drawn to your nature. A person who needs your joyful personality to uplift a heavy soul."

Xira opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off. "Also, pay close attention to those of highly distinguished clans. It would be wise to return to your own and reclaim what is yours." The girl's jaw dropped. How this woman knew this much, she didn't know.

Yes, she was technically an heir with her mother being the "Gaia Queen" and all, but she never thought of going to claim her spot by her mother. That would strip the girl of her freedom, something that she couldn't bear to part with.

The girl stood and thanked the old woman for the information. "Wait." The woman said. She reached out and grabbed the girl's arm. "Remember that everything cannot be solved with smiles and jokes."

* * *

"Dammit!" Xira growled as another kunai was launched in her direction, grazing her right shoulder. She flung a kunai back in retaliation.

The ninja were after them. Hot on their trail. They wouldn't give up.

They were nearly there. So close to the coast where they planned to hop on a boat and head to the Mist. So close.

"Xira." Her master, who ran alongside her, said. "Listen carefully." She nodded to let him know that her attention was his. "This trail that we've been following will split into two further ahead. We'll need to split. I want you to take the mountain road. You;; be able to lose them there." She nodded. "What road will you take?" She asked, genuinely concerned about her mentor. "I'll take the path that leads deeper into the forest. You'll eventually get to a clearing if you keep going." She nodded her understanding.

The two separated. She took the left path and he the right.

She continued on without her master.

And on…

And on…

And on…

No rock formations. Just trees as far as the eye can see. The forest seemed to get denser and denser. But she still didn't lose hope. _The mountain is probably up ahead. It has to be, _She calmly thought.

But the pass never came.

She stood, alone, in the center of a clearing. She frantically took in her surroundings. The clear blue sky above her, the birds who chirped happily in the trees. She even managed to catch a glimpse of a few fleeing deer that she scared upon her arrival.

Her mind went dead. _He left me, _she thought.

_He left me to get caught._ It felt as if she had been slapped in the face. The dawning realization that she would be completely alone from now on. Her friends, the people closest to her, abandoned her. Why was this such a surprise?

The despair hung heavy on her heart. Like a heavy weight had been thrust upon her. She would be alone. For the rest of her life. Alone…

Her eyesight began to tint blue. Her eyes were filling with her own blood. She bore her fangs and curled her nails into the shape of claws, ready to attack the next thing that moved. Her darkling rage was bubbling in the back of her throat, escaping in the forms of monstrous growls and hisses. This was a typical darkling hissy fit.

She was a mess in a kimono. A monster in a dress. People would think that she was some sort of demonic prostitute.

The ninja entered the clearing, two teams of shinobi. They merely stared at the girl.

"Xira?" The whipped her head in the direction of the familiar voice, face twisted up into a deadly snarl.

Sasuke took a step in the girl's direction, unaware and uncaring of her condition. But he soon realized that it was the wrong step.

She recognized him. Her clouded judgment hindered her rationalizing skills. When she saw his face, she didn't see the boy who had made her blush so madly at the inn. Who she had fallen for so hard. She merely saw the boy who was at fault for her misfortune.

She let out a terrible, blood-chilling shriek. Barely human. It was directed at the Uchiha boy, who retreated a step.

"Bastard!" She lunged for the boy, angling a fist towards the boy with such speed that he barely had time to react. The punch connected with his right cheek, sending him flying. His friends parted and stared at his limp body as it collided with the tree behind them.

She let out another wraithlike howl. She sunk into the ground and reappeared directly behind a boy wearing what seemed to be half a shirt. She punched him forcefully in the back of his head, for he didn't even have the time to realize that she was there.

Another boy, with a bowl cut, thought quickly and brought his leg around, aiming for her side. She stepped back into a portal, and ended up driving her elbow into the face of bun-haired girl.

"We have to stop her before she disappears again!" A pink-haired girl yelled to her comrades. Xira was drawn to the voice, like a moth to a flame. She was merely letting her senses take the reins.

She slipped into the ground once more, reappearing above the girl. She clasped her hands together and brought them both down upon her head, breaking the ground underneath her under the force of the impact. The girl fell limp in the very spot.

"Rasengan!" Xira snapped her head to the left, only to be greeted with a blur of blue heading straight towards her. The impact from the attack hurled her towards the far end of the clearing. Her limp body skidded across the ground a couple of times before finally resting in the middle of a bed of clovers. The world around her faltered. She faded in and out of consciousness until she eventually passed out.


	3. Chapter 3

_"Mother?"_

_** "What do you need, child?"**_

_ "I'm in a bind…"_

_** "And you want me to help, don't you? Fucking disgraceful…"**_

_ "I don't need help! I just need advice…" _

_** "That's help, you idiot! Why is it that the only times you call on me, it's only because you need 'help'. 'Help me, Mommy! I need help wiping my ass!' 'I need help, I made a mess!'"**_

_ "Look, bitch, just tell me how to get away from these damned ninja, and I swear that I'll be out of your wild, unruly tresses."_

_** "That's what I wanted to hear…"**_

_"Excuse me?"_

_** "Don't ever talk to me in that way. Like a meek little commoner. You are strong and of royalty. Damn formality. Demand what you need at all times, understand?" **_

_** "**__Fucking insane…"_

_** "Understand!"**_

_"Yes, ma'am…"_

_** "What are your conditions, girl?"**_

_"I'm tied to a tree. With rope. Damn strong rope that I can't break through. In a clearing in the middle of a forest being guarded by a total of eight. All have exceptional abilities. My only hope is to escape, even though I wish to fight. I'm outnumbered."_

_** "Anything else?"**_

_"They'll be moving me from this spot sooner or later. Taking me back to their village. But currently, the others are roaming the forest for materials to make a camp for the night. Currently, I am being guarded by some long-haired prick." _

_** "And his hair? Tied up or down?"**_

_"It's a fairly loose pony tail. Why?"_

_** "Voodoo, girl! Make a doll when they eventually loosen your binds. Did Mother ever teach you the ways of Voodoo?" **_

_"Yes, ma'am."_

"_**Wreak havoc, then. Make them rue the day they've ever crossed a Merid!" **_

"_Thank you, Mama…"_

* * *

_These fuckers will pay, _Xira thought. Her hands were firmly pressed against her thighs. Her arms on her sides. She glared at the back of the boy in front of her. He spoke to the boy with the bowl cut and funny eyebrows, casting glances in her direction every now and then.

His hair was long, brown. He kept it in a long, loose pony tail, tying it at the end of it all. She wished to rip each and every thread out of its follicle.

She tried to form a plan. She would make a doll of twigs and tie it together with the hair she planned to retrieve. With the doll, she would either force the boy to untie her or hold him hostage. Preferably the former so that she wouldn't cause a ruckus. But that needed to be done before they relocated.

She let her head fall back onto the bark of the tree. She let out a long, drawn out groan of boredom. The boy merely glared at her.

She let out another groan, finally getting his attention. The bowl cut boy left him to go rejoin with his other comrades.

"What's your problem?" he asked. He grimaced as he stared her in the eye. They tied her up against the tree standing, instead of sitting. "I'm bored…" She simply said, seeming like a child. "What exactly do you want me to do about it?" The girl eyed his long hair. It was so close. Freedom could be hers…

"Entertain me? Dance! Tell a funny joke! Do something!" He looked at her with an expression of disbelief. He couldn't believe his eyes or ears. This girl had went berserk an hour earlier, nearly killing one of his comrades and unleashing hell. Now she was asking him to do things as trivial as dancing in order to entertain her.

This can't be the girl that Kisame was traveling with…

She clucked her tongue in disappointment. "Fine. Can you at least take me somewhere so that I can relieve myself?" Lie.

He scoffed at her request. "There's no way I'm letting you down." He turned and began to walk away. "Hey!" She called. "Don't you dare leave me! I have to go piss!" She kicked her legs vigorously.

He turned on his heels and eyed her warily for a moment. He then began to untie her, tying the ropes around her wrists afterwards. _Perfect, _she thought, for her arms were placed in front rather than behind.

He led her into the forest. Long moments of silence passed between the two before they finally stopped by a great oak.

"I must be some kind of dog, huh?" she murmured to herself. He finally untied the rope and stepped back to let her do her business.

"Pervert." She said as he merely stared at her. "Oh…." He realized his mistake and turned away, giving her what little privacy she could have.

She then snapped into action. She scoured the forest floor, gathering leaves and twigs of all types. She had a perfect doll made in less than a minute.

"Are you done yet?" The boy asked. "No! Keep your head turned, perv!" She exclaimed. She stood tall, and uttered a silent prayer. Hoping that she would be swift enough for the next move.

She reached out at lightning speed, grabbing a handful of hair. She ripped it out of his head, before he even turned to give her a bewildered look. She widened the gap in between them, perching on a high tree branch. He followed closely behind. She twisted the hair into a small rope and wrapped it around the doll in a fashion that held it all together. Around the neck, crossing at the base and wrapping around the arms. It always _had _to be tied this way. Or the technique wouldn't work.

The girl forced some mana into the little rough copy of the boy. She then whispered the spell to it quietly, evading the boy as he lunged for her. She perched atop another tree branch.

_"Veri te melit es virleit y mi edulee. (Bind he who is lower to my will.)"_ The boy seemed to fall right out of the sky. His muscles locked and went stiff before eventually going limp. He hit the ground with a thud.

Xira landed beside him, staring down at him in a haughty manner. He stared up with anger and frustration at the girl.

She placed a single, bare foot on his chest. (She was not aware that she had lost a shoe until now.) His scowl grew deeper.

"You will walk, slowly, back to the clearing. Make sure that you don't return before nightfall. Count thirty seconds between each step. And don't you _dare _stop walking until you get to that clearing…" He scoffed. "And what if my comrades find me and take me back home. Will I still try to get back to the clearing? Will I still walk slowly, counting thirty seconds between each pace?" The girl smirked.

"Yes…"

His smile faded after the word.

He stood and turned away from the girl. "And don't speak either." She had cut off whatever he was going to say. "Ever." He wouldn't say a word until the doll was destroyed.

She darted off in the other direction. Heading towards the coast, even when her master abandoned her. She would make sure that he would never do it again. She would make his life hell, and then sell him out to the Leaf shinobi.

* * *

Bound, once more. Xira rested on her knees, wrists tied behind her back, with the sun bearing down on her with a fiery vengeance. They had thrown her on a cart, and were now rolling her slowly down a path back to the Leaf.

They had caught her. As skilled as she was, she was no match for the power of a dog's nose paired with a Uchiha's speed.

The girl let out a sigh. She would have to work on that.

She remained silent. She had basically given up. She had nowhere to go, no one to be with, nothing to lose. Her chances were actually better with these ninja.

But then again, they would most likely interrogate her, then throw her away…

"What the hell was that back there?" She looked over to see a scowling Sasuke, still cradling his face from that blow earlier. She ignored him, even though she had realized that he had nothing to do with all this. Her master abandoned her. He had nothing to do with that.

"I'm sorry about that. I was so angry I couldn't… See straight…" He gave her a disgruntled "hn". Another long moment of silence passed in between them. The other ninja simply ignored their exchange, thinking nothing of it.

"You cut your hair…" he said. The girl fought the smile that threatened to cross her face. "Yeah. I did…" He cast another furtive glance in her direction. Taking in her features. They've only been apart for a short time, but she seemed so different. Not just her hair, but her demeanor. She seemed almost broken. The way how she stared blankly at the wooden floor of the cart. Like she had been defeated.

"It's looks good on you." He awkwardly said. She couldn't quite hold back the blush that arose. She gave him a small smile. "Thank you…" He let his eyes fall on her body once more, for the last time. Her round face, plump lips. Her eyes, smiling and twinkling as she bashfully looked up at him. Her dark, hazelnut colored skin and nice thighs. Everything about this girl had his mind going haywire. He could barely turn away.

She took this time to take in his features, just before he turned away. His shiny, black tresses. His pale, ivory skin, tinged with a hint of red due to the heat. His onyx eyes, normally emotionless, but now hindered with some emotion that she couldn't name. _Look at me, _she thought. _Eyeing him like some whore. _It was wrong for a girl to look a man so boldly in the eyes like this.

She felt her heart drop when he rushed ahead of the group. She fully understood, though. His teammates would become suspicious if they spoke any longer.

_It's not like this would work anyway, _the thought made her heart twist. _Humans and darklings can't be together._

* * *

She had nodded off, allowing time to wash over her. Night had fallen. The heat of the day had been replaced by the coolness of the night. Xira shivered in her short kimono. The wind chilled her to the bone.

She was placed near a tree. Wrapped in ropes. Everyone remained in the clearing this time. She was always under surveillance.

Someone sat behind her, on the opposite side of the small tree that she leaned against. She instantly knew the stranger's identity.

"You know blue is the color of life where I come from." She said, wanting to start a conversation this time. "Is it really?" Sasuke asked. "It is. When people see blue, they think about the ocean. Water is the beginning of all life. Water is necessary for survival." The boy smiled, thankful of the tree's shade that concealed the grin. "And blue courses through your veins. It fits…" She laughed. "Why do you say that?" She asked. She placed a hand on the ground and inched it closer to the opposite side. "Because you're full of life." She blushed.

The boy noticed her hand, which was slowly inching towards him. He placed his right beside her own, without catching anyone's attention. He closed the gap slowly, enveloping her hand with his own.

They remained like that for several moments, each passing by too quickly. Both kept their eyes busy, scanning their surroundings and appearing to be aloof, but truly, each were swelling up with joy inside. Their hearts leapt in their chests. Smiles threatened to cross their faces. This was the very first time that they've experienced the effects of a crush.

But the reality behind it all felt like vinegar on their tongues.

Xira couldn't help but feel horrible. Darklings and humans could never be together. It was sick. Interspecies dating. She would be with someone of a "lower race". Her mother would never approve of it. But when did she ever care about what others thought anyway?

Sasuke couldn't help but think about it. Xira was doomed to become a prisoner. She would be interrogated as soon as she reached the Leaf. She was an enemy to the Leaf village. Such a relationship would be difficult to keep. But when did he ever stop because things would be too difficult?

"It won't work." Xira said. Sasuke merely let out an understanding "hn". Both knew it. No other words needed to be said. But both also felt the same way about one thing. That they were determined to have something that they wanted, no matter how difficult it would be to achieve it.

"We shouldn't have to care about what others think, you know." He said. She nodded in agreement but kept silent for she didn't have the words. What was she supposed to say?

"We don't have to tell anyone if you don't want to." He said. She smiled at the thought. That would be best for the both of them.

At this moment, she was reminded by something her grandmother used to say. A term for secret lovers. A saying. "Gardenias", since the gardenia was the flower of secret love.

"Then you're saying that you'll be my 'gardenia'?" The boy was confused. "Gardenia?" she nodded, thought he couldn't see it. "Yes. The gardenia is the flower of secret love. They smile on those who whisper sweet nothings in the dark." He smiled at the term. "Then yes. I will be your gardenia. And you'll be mine." She laughed. "Then we can just frolic and prance in a whole field of them, like joyful little deer!" The comparison made the boy laugh. He struggled to muffle the sound.

Xira halted her laughter. She looked down and realized that one of her hands was free from the bindings. "Woops." She said as she slipped it back into place. "I was going to ask about that…" Sasuke said, noticing the mishap. "Well, don't worry. I won't be trying to escape. I have nowhere else to go." He nodded solemnly, understanding fully.

From across the clearing, his friend, Naruto, called out to him. The girl pulled her hand away and said, "You should go." He knew that. They couldn't risk being caught.

He stood and approached his friend before the blonde could get close enough to see that they were conversing. He shot Xira a final parting glance before racing off in the other direction. She shot her gardenia a quick, secretive smile. So small that it was merely a quirk of the corners of her mouth.

_My gardenia,_ he thought. For some strange reason, he liked the term.

* * *

"Do you think you might want to undo the spell on my friend?" Sasuke asked Xira as he knelt beside her. They were only two days away from the village. Sakura's bad condition impeded their progress. Xira felt bad about that.

Neji had been mute for the past two days. No one knew until he finally wrote it out in the dirt of the path they walked. While the others had no clue what caused him to be like this, he was the only one who knew the identity of the culprit.

"Oh!" She said. She had completely forgotten about casting that. A wave of regret fell on the girl. She didn't want to cause the boy suffering. She just wanted to get away.

"I totally forgot about that. I can undo the spell if I can reach the doll in my dress." She winked. Sasuke shook his head. "You know I can't do that…" She rolled her eyes. "Okay. Fine. But good luck undoing it. Only someone skilled in Voodoo can undo it." She said with a smirk.

"Where's the doll?" he asked. She shot him a bewildered expression. He had basically just agreed to reach in her kimono. Her heart rate accelerated a tiny bit.

"Underneath my sash." She said. He quickly snatched the doll in the bat of an eyelash. Her heart leapt, even if it was a purely platonic gesture.

"How do you undo it?" he asked. She shook her head. "I'm telling you, only I can undo it. Release my bindings and I swear I will release it." He stared at her, as if trying to read her true intentions. "Promise me that you won't try to run." She smiled and nodded. "I promise. "

He obeyed her request and undid the rope that bound her. Then he undid the rope around her wrists. She flexed her muscles and stretched her arms high over her head, earning a stare from the boy. He could have sworn that her breasts were bigger than they were yesterday.

"The doll, please." She held a hand out. He gave her the small thing and watched as she unwound the hair that weaved around it. "_Marier. (Release)."_

A deafening howl was heard from the opposite side of the clearing.

The girl, after shooting a confused glance at the long-haired boy, smiled and held her hands out towards Sasuke. "Told you. I'm not going anywhere." He shrugged and tied her wrists together. She began to walk back to her spot under the tree, but was stopped when Sasuke firmly caught her by the arm. He quickly pulled her close, yanking her backwards. He then brought his lips to her cheek, stealing a quick peck. From afar, it would have seemed like an angry exchange, like he was whispering an angry threat in her ear. She played along, for she understood what he was trying to do. She quickly jerked away and swung at him. She sat down at the base of a nearby tree and averted her gaze, hiding her blush from his approaching friends. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him shoot her a quick smirk before switching back to his emotionless façade. She stuck her tongue out at him in a playful manner.

"What was that all about?" Naruto asked. Sasuke snorted. "She said something I didn't like, that's all." Xira stifled a laugh. He was a good liar. Everyone bought it. Well, Naruto seemed to be confused about something, staring for a moment before eventually joining the rest. Sasuke shot her a final glance before joining the rest around their campfire. They would be finishing up the rest of their journey.

* * *

"So you're the apprentice of Kisame Hoshigaki?" Xira nodded at the woman sitting behind the large desk before her. Her long hair, tied up into two pony tails, draped over her shoulders and over her rather large breasts, which made the girl feel extremely inadequate. She pierced the girl with the burning expression in her deep brown eyes.

"You are aware that you've been travelling with an S-rank criminal, right? Did you know anything about this?" The girl nodded once more. "Yes. I knew of this. I understand that I've been traveling with a wanted man and I'm fully prepared to accept the consequences." She held her chin high, unafraid of what they had in store.

The woman smirked. "A brave one, are you? For that, I won't have you interrogated. I'll give you a chance to tell me everything right here. But," She nodded to Neji, who had, along with Naruto and Sasuke, delivered her to the Hokage's office. "If he notices that you are lying to me, then additional measures will be taken. Understand?" The girl nodded and drew a deep breath and told her everything, starting from when Kisame first saved her.

Neji threw Lady Tsunade a sharp nod, letting her know that the girl was telling the whole truth. She turned her sharp eyes onto Xira once again. "When you were separated, you were heading to the Hidden Mist?" The girl nodded. "We were only a day away from the coast." The woman took in the information.

The girl was honestly scared out of her mind. This village was her only hope. She felt safe in this place. A place filled with warmth and showering hospitality. Plus, it had Sasuke. Anywhere Sasuke lived had to be a good place.

"Fine." She dismissed the girl with a wave. "But you aren't completely in the clear yet. You will remain in the village at all times. You will be escorted and under constant surveillance until Kisame is caught, understand?" Xira's heart dropped, though she accepted. Her freedom was a small price to pay for her peace of mind.

She then began to speak to the three behind the girl. "Neji, Sasuke. You both have missions to go on later today. Naruto, you'll escort Xira to the guest apartments." Xira couldn't help but feel disappointed. She wished that it would be Sasuke instead of his overly hyper friend.

"You got it, Granny!" He said. "I swear that I won't let her out of my sight!"

_Oh, dear Lord, _Xira thought. Sasuke could sense her disappointment. And to tell the truth, he was disappointed, too.

Naruto lead the girl out, holding the door for her as she exited. He then led her out onto the street that would lead her to her soon to be home.

* * *

The apartment was plain. White walls, white couch, white bed, white kitchen. Its only contrast was a black coffee table in the living room.

"So, I guess this is your home. You have to stay here until your next escort comes at three to take you shopping. Oh," Naruto held out a hand towards the girl, beaming brightly. "I'm Naruto, by the way." She took his hand and shook. Seeing his face, she remembered seeing him with the pink haired girl from earlier. Guilt washed over her.

"Aren't you a friend of that girl? With the pink hair?" He nodded. "Tell her that I am greatly sorry. I didn't mean to pound her on the head like that… Well, I did, but I was suffering from clouded judgment." The boy nodded. "I will, but she doesn't hold a grudge. Sakura's a nice girl." He began to head for the door but stopped once he reached its frame. He turned to Xira as if he was going to say something.

"I've never seen Sasuke take interest in a girl before." Xira drew in a deep gasp, but he kept going. "I was beginning to think that he was asexual, y'know. But then he met you at that inn." Xira was panicking. She wanted this to stay a secret. He shouldn't know. "He's been happier than ever. With everything he's been through and all." She had been reaching for a nearby lamppost when he said that, but stopped her advance when he uttered that sentence.

"He's lightened up a little bit. Especially after he talks to you. You should have seen his face after he kissed you back there." Xira nearly died of embarrassment. "But be careful with him, okay? After all that… He has a fragile mind right now. He's still healing." He smiled at her. "And don't worry. He's my best friend. I won't tell anyone about you two." He grinned and threw her the thumbs up. "Believe it!" Xira merely stared at the boy as he took his leave.

* * *

Xira was beginning to love the Leaf village. It reminded her of home. Its blistering heat and busy market place. She loved the warm hospitality that she received, even though she was a so called "enemy".

The girl escorting her to the store was beautiful, yet painfully shy. Hinata was her name. Long, ebony hair, styled so that her bangs fell neatly just above her pale eyes. Her face was round also, but still held some kind of pure gracefulness about it. Her skin was nearly white, tinged with a slightly pink blush. She wore a baggy hoodie, but Xira could plainly see that it was just something to cover up the large breasts that lie underneath.

The girl meekly smiled at Xira. She was nervous, though she had no reason to be. It wasn't like Xira was going to bite her head off, but she couldn't help it. She was timid.

"T-that's a nice s-shop over there. They have nice clothes." She stuttered often, though she was slightly improving. "They have pretty kimonos, like the one you're wearing now." Xira shook her head. "I want something new. Something that isn't showy like this. Comfortable, too." She glanced at Hinata's outfit. "Something like that." She then gestured to a store across the street. "Then w-we can look over there." The girl shrugged and followed as she began to lead the way.

The store sold mostly casual clothes. Clothes that made it easy to move around. Capris, shorts, t shirts, comfortable tank tops and much more. It was right up her alley. She never cared much for how she looked. Up until now.

She spotted a nice, long white skirt. Lacey. At every breeze, it blew in all directions.

She grabbed it by its hanger and held it up for Hinata to see. "That would look nice on you." She said. The shorted girl objected. "Nah. My legs aren't long enough to look good in this. I think that it would be cuter on you. You're taller." She blushed slightly. People didn't compliment her often.

The two scanned the whole entire store. Grabbing everything that had a chance on Xira. But she didn't just look for herself. She constantly gave suggestions on things that Hinata should get, saying that her jacket does her no justice. In the end, the two of them walked out with several bags, since their budget would allow it.

Yep. The Leaf village treated them well.

"Thank you." Hinata said. She was surprised, baffled even, that the girl had convinced her to get all these clothes that she normally wouldn't even touch. She had to agree, though, that they did look pretty good on her. She would wear the skirt outfit her next off day.

* * *

That night, after taking a relaxing bath and switching into her comfortable pajamas she bought earlier, she dreamt a pleasant dream. Only because Sasuke was in it.

It was a weird one at first. Swimming underwater alone, surrounded by hoards of jellyfish. She was panicking. It was turning into a nightmare. Their stingers burned, yet she couldn't scream. If she did, she would've drowned. But then he came. He pulled her out of the water and onto land, where he held her tightly telling her that he would never let go.

She woke that morning feeling more refreshed than ever. She happily strode into the bathroom, switching into some new clothes and then into the kitchen where she made her breakfast. But that happiness soon went sour when she realized one thing. That he wouldn't be back until the end of the week.

* * *

At the end of the week, the girl was lost, lonely, and miserable. After spending the entirety of last week hoping that her escort for the day would be Sasuke, her gardenia, she had been completely exhausted by the disappointment of finding that it wasn't him behind the door.

She waited for her next escort patiently at the dinner table, dressed nicely for the day, compared to what she usually wore. Navy blue skirt with lacey edges. It stopped at her lower thigh. With it, she wore a loose, white tank top and a nice grey hoodie with it. It barely passed her ribcage. It was solely for fashion.

She paced back and forth in her living area, praying that it would be her gardenia behind the door once the clock struck three. She wondered if he was as eager as she was about meeting. She was extremely excited about it.

A knock sounded at the door, causing the girl to jump out of her trance. She, not wanting to scare the stranger with her hasty answer, slowed her steps before finally opening the door. She let out a sigh when she finally did.

A boy, the pale one with the half shirt, smiled back at her. He ignored her disappointment.

"Not who you were hoping for?" he asked. She winced at the question, not meaning to be rude by the gesture. "It's not like that…" She paused, trying to sort out her words. "I just… Have someone I need to speak with." She stepped out of the door and locked it before letting the boy lead her down the steps of her apartment building.

"What is your name?" She asked.

"Sai."

"I'm Xira, if you didn't know already."

"Everyone knows who you are by now." She tilted her head. "Why do you say that?" she asked.

"You put one of the best medical ninjas of the whole village in the hospital." She stopped dead in her tracks. "She's still there! I hit her that hard?" he nodded. "She had a very bad concussion. Even though she's a ninja, she still can't avoid brain damage."

The girl had never been so guilty in her life. Yes, she was powerful, but she didn't like to seriously hurt the innocent. Sakura didn't do anything. She was simply in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

"Can you tell me where the nearest flower shop is?"

* * *

Two eglantine roses, flowers for those with wounds to heal. Xira bought these flowers and had them both placed in a case. She was extremely remorseful of what she did. She wanted to make it right.

When her escort was paying her no mind, she secretly placed a spell of healing on the flower. A spell casted when one whispers his or her intentions to a single object, and places that object next to the bedside of the wounded. It would then heal the person who slept away in that bed. Or harm, whatever the intentions of the caster were.

She had Sai take her to the girl's hospital room, where she slept soundly, unaware of her visitors. Xira placed the flower on the right of her bed, while Sai set his own orchid on the opposite bedside table. The two then left to do other things before the sun set, hoping for the girl's fast recovery.

Sakura was sent home the next morning, fully healed and in top physical condition.

* * *

"Oh! Hey, Naruto. How are you today?" Xira smiled at the blonde-haired boy as she walked down the steps with him. She didn't have the slightest clue what they were doing that day, but since it was him, she didn't mind much. She could speak freely with him.

And when she meant speak freely, she meant ask him questions about Sasuke.

"Do you know any good food places in mind? I don't know what to do today." He threw her the "nice guy" pose. "Ichiraku Ramen! That place is the best!" She nodded. "Fine, then Ichi-" he cut her off. "But we aren't doing that today."

"What?" she asked. "Yeah. Someone would like to meet you today." He couldn't help but laugh. Xira's heart leapt at the thought. She knew exactly who he was talking about.

He led her out into the forest, to an open clearing that wasn't used often. Too small for training, but large enough for anything else, like a campsite or a small picnic. Her heart rate accelerated at the sight of the raven haired beauty she saw. He leaned on the trunk of a rather large oak tree. He smiled when his eyes fell on her.

"Well, you two have your fun. I'll go be a look out. Blah, blah, blah." Naruto left the two alone.

She approached the boy, stopping at arm's length from him. Both were unsure of their next move. Xira wanted to embrace the boy. To catch him a big hug and never let him go. She had missed him. And Sasuke, he felt as if he should compliment what she was wearing. Her outfit looked good on her, especially the skirt. Anything that would reveal her legs looked good on her. He honestly wished that it was shorter…

Xira gave up on restraining herself and hugged him. He, surprised by the sudden move, was unsure of what to do, so instead, he returned the hug. He could smell the scent of lavender coming from her, emanating from her clothes and hair. A refreshing, relaxing scent.

The two separated. She smiled up at the boy and said, "I don't want to seem clingy, but I missed you." He snorted. "I can tell." He simply said. She smacked him in the arm. "I can tell that you missed me, too. Your heart was beating fast, y'know." He couldn't stop the blush that followed, covering his face in a light pink color. She gawked at him. "You're blushing? That's so cute!" She joked. She rose to her toes and pecked him on the cheek.

He grabbed her hand, and pulled him in his direction. "Come sit with me." He said. She obeyed. They both took a seat under a nearby tree.

"So did Naruto figure it out himself or did you tell him?" She asked. He grimaced in direction that the boy left. "He did it himself. I underestimated him this time. But I'm not worried. Naruto is my best friend, believe it or not. He won't tell anyone." He threw her a reassuring smile. "And was it you who left that bewitching flower in Sakura's hospital room?" She frowned. "How did you know it was me? Wait- How did you know it was bewitched?" He snorted. "Any shinobi could feel its power, even if it was foreign. That thing worked miracles. She's in top physical condition, thanks to you…"

"That's good to hear. I'm glad I righted that wrong. I wish that all people would be as accepting of apologies. That Neji bastard won't take one easily." The boy chuckled. "Yeah. You've really damaged his pride. But he'll come around. Especially since you've gotten his cousin to come out of her shell a little."

"Who?" she asked. "Hinata Hyuga." The girl let out a small "oh" before letting the subject drop.

"What's your favorite food?" she asked. He quirked an eyebrow. "What?" she pouted. "Don't 'what' me! What's your favorite food? I don't know if you've noticed, but we still don't know a whole lot about each other." She then leaned her back against the tree. "It's bothering me." He then understood. Two people couldn't go out if they were complete strangers.

"Fine. I like tomatoes…" he said. She scrunched up her nose at the thought. "Ugh. Tomatoes…" She hated tomatoes. "What's wrong with tomatoes?" he asked. She shook her head. "I don't like them much. They're tasteless to me. I like sweet things. Especially cookies. Sugar and peanut butter cookies to be exact. I can't stand vegetables, though." She smiled at the thought. She would kill for a good pastry right now.

"Well, I can't stand sweets." She could only stare in awe. She knew that there were people who weren't fans of sugar, but she had never met one. It was simply impossible to her. "None? No sweets whatsoever?" He shook his head. "None. Well…" He hesitated. "I do like honey occasionally." She let out a sigh of relief. "Okay. That's not too bad."

The two spoke for hours. Exchanging preferences, discussing favorites and dislikes. Xira learned so much about him, surprised that she was able to unearth so much info. She saw how she spoke to his other teammates. How he really didn't speak to them much. She was nervous because of that. She thought that he would treat her the same way.

And he was surprised by her preferences all together. Her choice in food. Favorite music, (She liked all genres). Movie genres, (horror). Favorite animal, (frogs). He winced at the last one. That one reminded him of a certain blonde.

They both noticed that the sun was setting. The sky was turning into a deep, violet. Their conversation must be brought to an end. Neither knew when they would see the other. But one thing was sure. They would.

Sasuke stood and helped her on her feet, being the perfect gentleman. She pecked him on the cheek once again. Her way of saying goodbye.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" he asked her, holding her hand. She shrugged. She was running out of things to do. "I think I'm going to train. I'm done sightseeing. It's time to get some work done." His grip on her hand tightened. "What?" she asked, noticing the pressure. "I would tell you to be careful, but that would be an idiotic thing to say." She laughed, understanding fully what he meant. She didn't know that he would be worried about her.

And he was.

Sasuke was still healing. There was a hole in his heart that would never disappear. The hole that his brother carved into him. A hole that appeared when he killed his whole entire family and left his young brother to hate and loathe him. A hole that grew when he finally killed the older Uchiha and learned shortly after of his true intentions. The same hole that was stretched into a gaping maw when he was resurrected during the war, only to be ripped away from the world of the living again.

His friends worried. They've tried to heal him. But all attempts failed as the hole was something too large for them to take care of. He appreciated their attempts, but it was all futile.

But when he first met this girl, with her bright smile and strange behavior, he noticed that the hole nearly disappeared. Like it had closed up slightly, but not completely. It was like a dull ache that could be forgotten when one was simply doing something else. As soon as they stopped though, the ache would be back.

Every time they parted, the hole would be stretched back to its original size. He would be left to suffer alone in agony.

And Xira, she was like a child at the moment. Like a child who has yet to realize that her dearest pet dog had passed. Like her parents had failed to tell her that it died a long time ago and instead, said that it ran away. Leaving the child to believe that it would somehow find its way home. The same way how Xira hoped that her own banishment was a farce. A test of her strength. How all her friends would come to pick her up and congratulate her on her success. The agony and reality of her own predicament had yet to catch up with her sooner or later.

It was childish, but she couldn't help it.

"Hey, guys! You lovebirds need to wrap it up!" Naruto yelled from some unseen spot in the trees. Sasuke scowled at the boy. "Dobe…" he murmured.

"Well." Xira murmured. "I guess this is goodbye for now." The boy nodded. He released her hand, and turned away as he waved goodbye.

* * *

"Have you ever had someone precious to you?" Xira couldn't help but smile at the question. "Yes. I have. And I still do." She answered. She threw her pale eyed friend a smile. "Do _you _have one, Hinata?" The girl jumped at the question. She brought her index fingers together in a nervous gesture. "Well… U-um… Yes. I do." She was flustered. She had never spoken to anyone about this. No one could know, but she made an exception about this girl. Mainly because she thought that she wouldn't think much about it, and just dismiss it in a matter of days. She just wanted to speak to _someone _about it all. It's unhealthy to keep it all bottled up.

She let it all spill, telling the girl about her love life. About her failed crush on Naruto. She had given up on him entirely, especially when he had blatantly ignored her confession to her, chasing after another love interest. How she has a new love, one that was truly there all along. She had a crush on her teammate. Her best friend, Kiba.

Now that she has realized this, it's become harder to be around him. She stutters when he speaks to her. She can't concentrate on her training and has to train alone, away from his presence. She often cursed herself for it all. For being so obvious. But she is also cursing herself for not seeing it sooner.

"How sweet." Xira said when she had finished explaining. They idly roamed the streets of Konoha, trying to find a good place to sit. "You should make your move soon. Before it's too late." She suggested. The girl nodded in agreement. "I know. But he just makes me so nervous. And I don't even know what type of girls he likes. What if he doesn't like me either? What if he rejects me? That would just ruin our whole team! I don't thi-" Xira snapped. "Hey! Don't give me that crap! You are a very pretty girl and whoever doesn't have a crush on you already is insane or blind. And you do have a beautiful personality. I bet you would make an excellent housewife while still being a kunoichi." She reassured. All of it was true. All Hinata had to do was come further out of her shell.

"We should go out." Xira said. "Yeah." She agreed with herself. "And _you _can invite Kiba to go!" Hinata stared at the other with disbelief. "What!" It was the first time in years that her voice had ever rose above a whisper. "Yes! You are going to invite him to that new club in the urban district that I found. But not just him. That would be suspicious. Invite some other friends, too."

Hinata merely gaped at the girl.

* * *

"Stop blushing so much!" Xira mouthed the words to the girl at the end of the bar. Hinata was talking to Kiba at the moment. His back faced Xira, so he had no idea that Hinata was getting several tips at the moment.

Hinata gave her friend a nod before continuing. Their conversation was barely audible, but Xira heard them. She just had to strain her ears.

_Dear God. They're talking about training, _Xira thought. This would get them nowhere. The club was no place for work talk.

She made a cutting motion at her neck, signaling for Hinata to change the subject. "Stop it! Stop it now!" She hissed through her teeth. Hinata nodded and did so. They began to talk about something else. The weather?

This must be stopped…

Xira hissed even more violently before. She slammed her fist on the table and mouthed, "Something interesting!" Hinata's eyes grew wide, and she subconsciously nodded in her direction. So fervently that Kiba turned to see who she was talking to.

Xira gasped and turned her head in the other direction, trying to be aloof. The boy bought the charade and turned around, directing his attention to the girl in front of him. Xira swiftly turned and saw that they had begun talking again. She smiled when she heard that they were talking about favorite animals. Her work was done.

"You look nice today." She flinched at the sudden movement to her right. Her gardenia was sitting right next to her, clad in the classiest evening wear that she had ever seen on a boy.

He wore a black dress shirt, sleeves rolled up to the elbow. His buttons were done to the point where a tiny bit of his pale chest was visible. He wore pale jeans with the ensemble, contrasting nicely with it all. He was handsome.

But he was just as entranced by what she wore. She was beautiful in her dress. It, being white and lacey, contrasted wonderfully with her dark skin. Her shoulders and legs. Her chest. It even revealed the thighs that he had been thinking about for so long. And now, with the white sandals that she wore, he could see that she had dainty feet, perfectly arched. Her toes were painted baby blue.

He ripped his gaze away from her, making it seem like he was merely sitting to get a drink. He kept his gaze ahead, motioning towards the bartender for drinks. "Two glasses of water please." He said. The bartender nodded.

"Water?" Xira asked. He smirked. "I don't get shit-faced and you won't either." He left it at that. She smiled and cursed the fact that she couldn't reach out and touch him. She couldn't peck him on the cheek or hold his hand.

She smiled at him instead. Her smile seemed to light the whole corner of the club.

"Your horns grew." He simply stated. She nodded. That she knew. They were growing rapidly which frightened her. The rest of her body would soon follow. Her breasts had already climbed a size. B-cup. She just prayed that no one noticed.

But Sasuke did. And the man in him loved it. He just wouldn't be rude and say anything.

"Who's escorting you today?" he asked. "Hinata."

"Hinata? This was _her _idea?"

"No. Mine. Trying to get her out of her shell. She's making her move." The girl winked at him, refusing to say anymore. He shot her a confused look before dismissing her strange behavior.

"So what's been going on with you?" she asked. She wanted to know about his adventures out of the village. What he's been up to. "I went on a mission the other day. To the Sand. Too hot for my liking. I was sweating. A lot…" He grimaced at the thought, but she smiled. "I like hot weather to tell the truth." He quirked an eyebrow. "Yeah." She said, trying to explain the weird remark. "I do. It reminds me of Rodelle. The place where my mom lives. I would go there from time to time. It's basically a huge desert." She made gestures with her hands to provide a visual image. The two had completely forgotten that they were in a public place.

"It was so hot, though. And I love winter over summer. I used to hate it. But my brother and I have so many good memories from those times. Like that one time he made me dress up in a Lairei."

"Lairei?" The boy tried the word out himself, drawing it out longer than it needed to be. "Yeah. Lairei. A summer dress. It's like a looong sash that wraps around the entire body. One big sash." He smiled. "I would love to see you in a 'Lairei' one day. That would be a nice sight." She blushed. "No! I hated it. The sash would be so short. It would barely cover my body." Sasuke really would like to see that. She continued. "Yeah. I hated going to Rodelle, but loved it at the same time just because my brother was there. Don't you have any memories like that?"

The smile left the boy's face in an instant.

She had no clue about anything. He didn't tell her and planned on keeping it that way for a long time. He wanted ignorance for now. Blissful ignorance. But he knew that it wouldn't last for long. Xira was a curious soul. She would ask about it after this and one day, he would have to tell her everything. The ignorance would fade away and they would have to face it.

"What's wrong?" she asked. She poked him in the arm. "What's wrong with my 'gardenia'?" She joked. He rose from his seat, unsure about what to do next. "I need to go. Before anyone sees. I'll see you later." He didn't want her to worry but it was too late for that. Her smile had faded also.

"Okay. Until then, sweet stuff." He paused. "Sweet stuff?" She shrugged. "What? That's what it'll be until we think of something better. What? Baby? Honey? Babe?" He smirked and shook his head. "I'll think about something." She stared at his retreating back, wondering if he'll really be okay. She would be wondering all night about his weird response.


	4. Chapter 4

He watched her from afar, wanting to approach her and save her from the eyes of the damned Hyuga bastard that was shamelessly letting them rove over her body. He wanted to give her his jacket and hide her away. She was his. He wished he could stop the possessive thoughts, but couldn't.

He wanted her by his side now, but couldn't blow their cover. She was with Sai at the moment and they were visiting the training grounds were most of their friends trained by this hour. He was angry, but not at her. He could never be angry with her. He was just angry in general. Things haven't been going right at all today. Returning home from a tiring mission, not getting any sleep for the past twenty four hours and when he finally tried to get some sleep, his idiotic, blonde haired friend bothered him and dragged him here. And now, his gardenia was at the mercy of the hungry eyes of Neji, who has suddenly developed a fancy of her.

She didn't mean to be so alluring today. He knew that it was subconscious. She couldn't help it. At first he thought that it was just him who was already attracted to her, but Neji saw it, too. They both saw the beautiful, chestnut thighs and toned calves, left bare by the khaki shorts that she wore. The loose, white blouse that draped perfectly over her features, clinging specifically to her growing B-cups. The golden necklace, that he had bought her for her birthday earlier in the month, that draped along her collarbone, glistening in the sun and drawing one's eye towards it. The toned muscles in her arms, indicating hidden strength that Sasuke, and only Sasuke, would know.

It was late October, and the weather was gradually getting colder. The tree leaves slowly changed their colors, and the breeze provided a beautiful atmosphere to match the calm, clear skies. He wanted to be able to spend one of these days with her, before November comes and brings its freezing weather with it. But life wasn't that easy.

He was pissed that he didn't have the chance to escort her yet. He wanted her to himself. No whispering incognito in nightclubs or being babysat by Naruto. Just them, then they could talk and finish what was started so long ago in that nightclub. To answer the very question that he had been dodging for the past few weeks.

He would spill everything about himself. He'd tell her everything. He just hoped that she would return the efforts.

He brooded under the shade of a large tree, watching everything that went down in the clearing. He watched everyone intently, daring someone to say the wrong thing.

Meanwhile, Xira was eyeing the girl that was giving her a dirty look. The one with the buns. Tenten. She wonder what her problem was. Was it that one time that she punched her in the face? Was she holding the grudge for that long?

And then the fucking blind guy. She knew he wasn't, but damn! Any Hyuga who wasn't Hinata just creeped her out.

She shifted her weight from one leg to the other, trying to ignore the gaze, but the guy was just so damn persistent with it!

And Sasuke was _not _okay with it.

She wanted to go sit with him. She was lonely and in agony. She had finally realized with the passing time that she spent here that she was truly banished for good. It wasn't a joke. They meant it.

She was a mess when she had finally accepted that. Sobbing on the floor of her kitchen. A mess. She just wanted the pain to disappear but it lingered. The dull ache bored its way into her very core. It would throb every time she thought about her loved ones. Her grandmother. Her brother. Even her best friend, even though he betrayed her. She was in so much agony. She _needed _to relieve some of this pain. She needed to tell someone.

Sasuke had noticed the pain in the girl's eyes. How she hadn't been cracking jokes like she used to. She seemed… Like she wasn't one hundred percent. Like half of her was here, and the other half was somewhere else. He wanted to pull the other half back, wherever it was, and hug her close to keep her together.

She was standing by Hinata, idly chatting with the girl. What they spoke of he had no idea. They were too far away to eavesdrop on.

"No way! A lion attack would be worse than a shark attack. Lions are kings! They'll chase you down land or water. Sharks are only limited to water. One jump and you're out of reach!" Hinata shook her head. "I don't think so. If you were caught in the water by a shark, you wouldn't be able to get away. Once a shark gets you, they wouldn't stop. Lions are smarter animals. They would be able to tell when something was no longer a threat. They'd probably stop if they saw that you meant no harm." She said as she pressed her two index fingers together, smiling. She had no idea how she was pulled into a conversation like this.

"You know what would be even more deadly?" Kiba jumped in on the conversation, him just entering the clearing moments ago. He had only heard the part about lions being the smarter animals. "A crocodile! They have that cool death roll move. Once you're trapped in its jaws, it's over!" He made jaws with his hands and made the form of a crocodile chomping down.

Xira rolled her eyes. "But everyone knows that mammals are the smarter animals. They're always on top!" Hinata laughed. "B-but this was a conversation ab-bout the deadliest animal, Xira. There's a d-difference." He stutter reappeared know that Kiba was close. She couldn't help it.

Sasuke had neared the huddle. The deadliest animal?

"Oh. Hello, Sasuke." Hinata squeaked, startled by his sudden presence. "We were just having a really weird conversation. About what animals are deadlier than most." Kiba waved a hand. "He's probably just going to grunt and walk away. He won't join a conversation about something childish like animals." Sasuke snorted. "I don't talk _to _them either." Kiba growled, and was about to retort but was soon cut off by Xira. "What is your opinion then?" she asked. She was curious. And she also didn't want any senseless bickering going on.

He let a subconscious smirk cross his face. She was a little diplomat. She didn't like arguments. She was a peaceful girl, despite some of the things she may say.

"Dolphins. They can be deadly when they want to be." The other three merely stared, simultaneously saying, "Dolphins?" He nodded. "Yes. They're known to kill people because they see them as competition." The group was still confused.

Sasuke continued. "Yes. A male dolphin will kill and drown any other males, dolphin or human, if they somehow get in the way of a female. It's happened. I've even heard stories about it on the coast on missions." He threw a secretive glance towards Xira, and then one at Neji. Xira smiled, trying to suppress the laugh that threatened to surface. She knew exactly what he was getting at.

"Who knew?" Kiba muttered. "I had no idea that those fish could be that dangerous." Hinata laughed, a bell-like sound. "What?" he asked. "Dolphins are mammals, Kiba. Not fish." He let out a understanding "oh" before launching another conversation, leaving Sasuke and Xira to converse between theirselves.

"Who said that he is in the way? I would never allow that guy to even have a chance at me." She said. The boy threw another glance at the Hyuga. "I still don't trust him." He turned back to her. "Maybe I'm just overly possessive of what's mine." She smiled. Usually, she would hate the idea. She would snap and say that she was nobody's property. But she had no problem with being his. She was fine with that idea. Because he was also hers.

"But I don't blame him." He continued. "You're legs are enough to drive anyone insane. You've been driving me wild all day." He stole a glance at her thighs once more. He never thought that he was one to like nice legs. Or maybe it was just her.

"What are you planning to do tomorrow?" She asked. He shrugged. "Nothing much. I _do _have a chance of being your escort tomorrow. I actually think that it'll end soon. The escorting, that is." She smiled. "Well, that's good. To tell the truth, I don't have a problem with it. Your friends are interesting people. I enjoy spending time with them." She then placed a hand on her hip. "But I do think that spending time with you will be better. We'll have more time to spend with each other." He smiled, thinking of all the things that could be done between just the two of them. Both the sweet and the dirty that he had in mind.

"Yeah. I'm looking forward to that." He said, hinting at his true intentions with a single wink. She grinned and blushed at the gesture, wondering what it could possibly mean. She had a clue, but didn't want to make hasty assumptions.

"How about that club? Will you meet me there?" she asked, trying to change the subject before her face began to resemble a ripe blueberry.

"I've got a better idea, actually. There will be a little 'gathering' by the falls that overlook the village. Everyone will be there, so you'll probably be there, despite who your escort is." She beamed. "That's a great idea." She said. "I'll see you there." She turned and departed, letting Sai know that her hours were over. He then separated from the group to drop her off. She left with an irrepressible smile on her face. Deep brown eyes followed her retreating back until the moment she disappeared behind the foliage of the forest. Tenten knew exactly what was going on. She knew, but pondered whether she should tell or not. She was just curious as to why the Uchiha boy liked the girl. What was so special? She was like every other girl in the village.

* * *

The aches and pains were really becoming annoying. Xira was in pain all over. Dull aches had erupted over her entire body. Her head, her legs, arms and abdominals. Her breasts ached and the inside of her chest felt like it was going to explode. Every muscle hurt. She was in serious pain.

But she couldn't get help.

She couldn't get up. She couldn't speak. She could merely lay there on the floor of the hall, still in controlled agony. She held back the sobs that wanted to travel up her throat. She just laid still, praying that someone would find her.

But it wouldn't matter if they did. She was a darkling. Her entire body composition was different. Even the most skilled of medics couldn't help her. They didn't know what was wrong. _She _didn't know what was happening to her.

So she waited for sleep to envelop her. To take her away. She waited for exhaustion to save her.

And it did. She faded in and out of consciousness. Waking up every now and then to check the hour hand of the clock. When the pain started, she had just finished her morning shower. She had donned her best evening wear, preparing herself for the party. Her golden necklace, from its chain hung a tiny symbol. Her zodiac sign, Libra. A pair of white sandals and a short, pale yellow sundress. Strapless and lacey. Hinata had suggested several lacey things, saying that it made her look like a porcelain doll.

But that was all at eight in the morning. It was nearly seven now.

The party would start at nine. Naruto would be there to pick her up at fifteen minutes past that. She had only hours to go. Maybe the pain would fade away.

But she was beginning to think that it would be better to remain at home, lest the pain started back up again. If it even left in the first place.

But it was becoming more bearable. The pain was dulling. If she preoccupied her mind with something else, it would fade away.

But that was before she felt, and heard, the first bone break…

A blood curdling shriek escaped her lips, echoing the pain that broke through her body. She cried, letting each sob shake her already aching body. She was a pathetic mess. It was a rib, causing her already tightening chest to become even more so. She coughed, causing some of her blue blood to travel up her throat and down the corners of her mouth. She began to drift in and out of consciousness before finally slipping into oblivion.

* * *

Sasuke merely stared in shock at the sight before him. His gardenia, on the floor unconscious. The corners of her mouth were stained blue. Her eyes were tightly shut, as if she had fell asleep in pain, or was having a painful dream. She held her stomach, as if trying to hold herself together. Her chest rose and fell with deep, labored breaths.

The first thing he wanted to do was scoop her up and take her to a hospital, but what use would that have been? They wouldn't have been able to help her. She was too different. They didn't have the right information about her.

Since that was out, the only thing he could do was hold her close in his arms.

It had been Naruto's turn to escort her and bring her to the party, but when he arrived, he claimed that she hadn't answered. Saying that he knocked and knocked but she was nowhere to be found. He had figured that Sasuke had come already and picked her up. He had no idea.

He picked the girl up in his arms, wincing himself when he heard the small whimper she uttered. He carried her to her room, and gently set her down onto her bed. He hoped that he would never see the girl so vulnerable.

Her dainty feet were soon bare when he slipped the pure white sandals off of her feet. He then pulled the cover over her body, wondering if he should check her body for bruises. He discarded the thought, though, thinking that it would be good to let her have her privacy. He silently agreed that it would be the best thing and took a seat on the couch of the living room, slowly nodding off despite of his worry.

* * *

Blotches. Everywhere. Big, blue blotches had erupted all over the girl's body. The same color as her blood. She had no idea what was happening.

They were everywhere. It was horrific. Most of her body was blue. Her lips were tinged blue, as if she was wearing lipstick. The bags under her eyes were the same. It was like some weird skin disease. She just hoped it wasn't as bad. She didn't remember doing anything that would've set this all off.

She hopped out of her bed, thankful that the pain had stopped. She felt no pain. She didn't feel any different in her body. Even in the place where her ribs broke. It was strange, but she didn't complain.

She traveled down the hall, knowing exactly where she was going. She didn't get to the bed herself…

"Sasuke… Saaaaasuke." She jabbed the boy with her finger. He simply turned his face away, shoving it into the cushions of the couch as he groaned. "What?" he said. "Scoot over." She pushed him over a little to prove that she wanted in on the comfort of the couch.

He did so, scooting over just enough so that she could slip in beside him. She pressed her back firmly against his, facing in the other direction. "You're squishing me." Sasuke groaned. She chuckled. "Sure. Whatever. Remember who's couch you're on." He shifted in his spot, turning towards her. She gasped as he wrapped his arms around her waist, seeming to not care that she was covered in blue spots.

"You smell nice." He murmured into her ear, making her shiver at the tickling sensation. She laughed and pressed her back into him, inviting the warmth that he provided. She then turned also and threw her arms around his neck. She pressed her lips against his cheek, smiling as she did so.

"You missed the party?" She asked. He nodded, never tearing his eyes away from her gaze. "It wouldn't have been worth it if you weren't there anyway." He smiled at her. "Sasuke?" He raised his eyebrows, indicating that he was listening. "Have we shared a kiss yet?" She asked. "A real one?" He laughed. "Every kiss that we exchange is real, Xira." He said. She was going to pout and reprimand him for his sarcasm, but was silenced by the sensation of soft lips against her own.

It was a heated kiss, despite of the restricted action that took place. Solely lip to lip. Tongues remained where they belonged.

"Holy shit!" she exclaimed as she ripped herself away. She tumbled off of the couch and onto the floor where she soon sprang up, taking several steps back. Sasuke quirked an eyebrow. "What?" he asked. She shook her head. "We still don't know what's wrong with me. What if I had some kind of skin disease or something? I wouldn't want you to catch it." The boy sighed, but agreed. He eyed the spots that littered the girl's body. "What happened, anyway? Tell me." She plopped down on the floor and spilled it. "Pain. Nothing but pain everywhere. At first it started as a dull ache but then it evolved into fire! I couldn't move at all. I've been lying on the floor ever since eight this morning." The boy cringed, feeling horrible that he wasn't there to help her at all. "Don't worry." She said. "You didn't know." She tried reassuring him with a smile before continuing. "But the fire lasted a long time. I'd say that around seven, the first rib broke." Sasuke interrupted her before she could even go on. "Rib!" he exclaimed. She nodded. "Yes. It just randomly broke." She wondered if there was any way to investigate this. She couldn't ask anyone. All the people she could hated her. But there was the book…

She sprang up and sprinted down the hall. She had the ancient book in her hands in a matter of seconds and brought it back to the living room. She returned back to her original spot and began flipping through its weathered pages.

"What is that for?" Sasuke asked. "I'm hoping that this will give us some answers. This book I found when I was traveling with Kisame. I 'borrowed' it from a library." She shot him a devious smile before going back to flipping. "It has a lot of information about my race. It _has _to have something about this. Ah!" She found it.

"'There is a time in a darkling's life that the body will begin to change itself to prepare for future events to come. Reformation." She glanced up at Sasuke with a confused look. "What does that mean? How could it possibly know what's to come?" Sasuke rose from the couch and lowered himself next to her. He read more of the text as she read it aloud. "Each and every darkling's reformation is different. Like snow crystals, no two are exactly the same. Some may change colors, some may grow an extra skin. Some may sprout wings. Some may sprout spikes." Xira buried her face into her hands at the last one. Sasuke took over the reading. "It passes in a mere week, but during this time, marvelous changes will occur. It's nothing to be alarmed of." He turned to Xira. "So stop whining."

Sasuke couldn't help but laugh at her situation. She was basically undergoing alien puberty. She was like a teenage girl who was going through her first menstrual cycle. Horrified, lost, and confused.

He slammed the book shut and pressed it into her hands. "Well, I can't just go around town looking like this. And especially not when I might have another fit of pain." The boy stood. "Then don't. I'll visit you and make sure you're fine." She pouted and glared. "Fine." She did not like the idea of waiting about the house alone with no one to talk to. He could only stay with her for so long.

He saw her disappointment. With a light heave, he pulled her to her feet by the hands and pulled her into a quick kiss. "I'll make sure you don't get entirely bored to death."

* * *

Until now, it had never occurred to Xira how her past would soon catch up with her. How she would have to go back one day and face it all. She couldn't leave it alone. She had unfinished business to attend to.

But now she's realized it. The note she found on her doorstep was enough to jog her memory. More than enough to bring her back to reality.

_Having fun in Wonderland, Alice?_

The question made her heart race. She wasn't afraid. She wasn't raised to be startled by such a trick. She was ready for whatever her past could throw at her.

But Sasuke wasn't.

She had finally learned of his troubling history. The painful events that had shattered his mind, leaving him in a frail mental state that was so carefully hidden behind his calm and cool façade. The death of his entire clan. His brother's death. The duration of his life being spent on revenge. She understood her role perfectly, for his friends had made it clear. She was his light. The last thing holding him together. She couldn't abandon him for her own personal wants.

But she couldn't stay.

If she stayed, he would suffer also. She would probably be killed. Or he be killed. Either way, this would turn into a disaster giving the correct amount of time.

She cast a worried glance at the note that rested on her black coffee table, contemplating it's meaning. She then glanced down into the peaceful face that rested in her lap. Sasuke was only at ease during these peaceful moments. When they were together just to be in each others' company. Their peaceful coexistence being comforting to each other. Gardenias at ease. She couldn't disrupt this peace.

The girl ran her fingers through his ebony locks. His eyes fluttered open and focused on her face. He stared into her peculiar eyes noticing that they've lost their shine. They seemed duller than yesterday.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked. She smiled at his concern, something solemn about the gesture. She seemed drained. "Nothing. I just didn't sleep well last night." He could tell. The issue with her eyes was bothering him. He wanted the light back.

She leaned her head into her hand, which was being supported by her arm that rested on the couch arm. She glanced at him with half lidded eyes, a playful smirk on her face.

He continued to stare at her with a mixture of confusion and worry in his eyes. It was almost unnoticeable, but she saw it. It was like he wanted to ask her about it. That he wanted her to tell him everything, but didn't know how to ask.

Xira chuckled. "I swear, it's nothing, Sasuke. Nothing's wrong." His gaze lingered on her face a little longer before dropping lower. He eyed the blue spots on her neck. They've faded, if only a little. Her plump lips were back to normal and the bags under her eyes have disappeared.

He traced the edge of her collar bone with his finger. She shuddered under the ticklish touch. He smirked at her reaction. "You're ticklish…" He stated. She nodded. "Yeah. I am. But I hate when others try to tickle me. I get all squirmish." She laughed.

Sasuke lightly tickled the base of her neck, causing an immediate reaction in her. She tilted her head down, a failed attempt to shut his hand out. She laughed, giggling like a child.

Sasuke sat upright in his seat and went for her hip, causing her to laugh even harder. "Stop it!" she laughed. She smacked at his hand in a halfhearted attempt to cease his actions. But this only made him want to tickle her more. Her laughs. He didn't want them to stop.

In a matter of seconds, the two toppled onto the floor, having a close call with the coffee table. Xira began to snort, covering her face with her hands as she did so. She was turning bright blue. Her stomach felt like it was going to burst.

She placed her hands firmly against Sasuke's chest, pushing lightly. "Stop it! I can't breathe!" She chortled. Her laugh was a contagious one. Not dainty. But not annoying. A unique laughter that came straight from the belly. The most joyful of all. He couldn't help but laugh himself.

He stopped tickling the girl, allowing her to catch her breath. He laid beside her on the ground in the small space between the couch and coffee table. She glanced over at him and punched him in the arm.

"Who said you could tickle me?" She laughed. He smirked. "So I need permission?" She shook her head. "No. Thanks. I haven't laughed like that in a while." She turned once again to throw him another smile, but received a soft kiss on the lips instead. She immediately knew that he hadn't either.

He deepened the kiss. In return, she parted her lips. The next hour was spent exchanging kisses and snuggling.

* * *

_Blue fire. Everywhere. It surrounded Xira. Enveloped her body. She didn't know what was happening. All she knew was that she was chained. Chained to a stone table with iron shackles. The fire that engulfed her naked body. It didn't burn. She felt nothing but feathers. But she still screamed from the fear of it all. She screamed at the top of her lungs. And the worse part about it, she saw a certain blonde bob to her right. The girl snickered as she herself screamed. _

Xira woke at three in the morning. She was covered in sweat, despite the fact that she wore only a single tank top. Her throat was hoarse from the screaming that she assumed she did unconsciously. She jerked upright and grasped her neck, hoping to ease the pain. Her chest rose and fell with labored breathing and tears streamed down her face.

She noticed another note at the foot of her bed. She hesitated in opening it, but with shaking fingers, she finally managed to read it.

_What's wrong? Too hot for you?_

Xira violently ripped the note into shreds. She flung a single downy pillow across the room. The bitch would pay for messing with her mind in such a way.

Xira dropped down to the floor and began to do some savage pushups in order to calm herself down. She wanted to train. She _needed _to train. She needed a plan. She needed to keep Sasuke safe from her past. She needed to protect him from herself.

* * *

"What's wrong? Y-you seem a little… Off today…" Hinata inspected her friend. She wore loose fitting shorts along with a tank top. This wasn't that much of a big deal, though. She wanted to go train. The things that made her suspicious were her eyes and the faint, blue blotches. She seemed tired, too. Groggy. She didn't speak much and crack jokes. She was like a dimmed light bulb.

"I'm fine." Xira said. "Just not enough sleep, that's all. Had a bad dream." Several fucking nightmares. She had not gotten a good night of sleep for the past few weeks. She's been waking up the same way every night. With a sore throat and shaking hands. It's been something new every time. First the fire. Then more jellyfish. Drowning. Falling from a building top. Being buried alive. Several things. Her imagination has yet to run out.

"To the training grounds, then?" Xira asked. Hinata smiled and led the way.

* * *

"You have perfect aim, Xira." Xira shrugged as she approached Hinata. "Thanks. But I need to combat train. I also need to work on stamina." She said, remembering the words of her teacher. Hinata widened the gap in between the two. She lowered herself into a fighting stance.

"I hope that I can be of help to you." Hinata said.

The two sparred for quite some time, though Xira was clearly the stronger of the two. She was fast and strong. And with that weird teleporting ability, she was hard to keep up with. And she was right when she said she needed work with her stamina. She tired at the same time as Hinata.

"What was that anyway?" she asked. "That trick where you slip into the ground." Xira struggled to catch her breath. She leaned against a nearby tree. "It's an old technique I've been working on. It needs work. A lot." She stood upright. Held a hand out to Hinata, who had been doubled over, trying to catch her breath. Hinata took it and stood.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be much help to you." She said. Xira threw her a bewildered expression. "What? You still have me out of breath. I'm still trying to catch it."

* * *

Another fit of pain. Xira lay, curled into the fetal position on the floor of her shower. It was the second time today. The first time was that morning, on her way to the kitchen for breakfast. She had remained on the floor of the hall for an hour.

She bit her bottom lip in an attempt to hold her screams. She now understood the deal with her ribs. They were breaking and reconstructing themselves. Making themselves larger. She had no idea why though.

After fifteen minutes of pain, the ache subsided. She finally pulled herself off of the ground. She clothed herself and trudged into her room where she began to prepare herself for a new day.

Tonight, there would be a festival. She didn't know what it was for. Why it was happening. She had festivals at her old home, but each was to represent the new season. Four festivals a year plus the New Years Festival. But it was long past the beginning of fall, but not quite winter yet. So she would just have to just settle with the fact that there was a festival happening.

A few days ago, she had been granted the ability to roam about the village without an escort. She was free to explore as long as it was within village walls. But this was truly the first time that she demonstrated this freedom. She didn't want to truly leave until her little "condition" passed. But this was an opportunity that she had to take. Her first real date with Sasuke. No hiding. No whispering. They would be a recognized couple. They would shed their status as a gardenia couple.

She glanced down at the kimono that Hinata helped her pick out. Something that would "flatter her dark skin." A pale, seashell pink kimono, laced with intricate designs of golden and burgundy lizards tracing its sides. A golden sash was tied around her middle. Hinata had come over earlier and showed her how to wear the dress, for the fashion was foreign to the girl.

She had been standing in the mirror, inspecting every bit of her appearance. From her hair, down the very soles of her feet. She was glad that the blotches had faded. No traces were left.

A knock sounded at her door, making her flinch. She hurried through her home, flinging the door open to find Sasuke leaning against the rail of the stairwell. She smiled and grabbed her small bag off of the shelf next to the door. She locked it, and was on her way.

He casually closed his hand over her own, smaller one. She smiled up at him, though he remained aloof. She could still see the blush creeping across his cheeks. This made her laugh.

"Here." He said as he held out a small black box toward her. "I… Got this for you." He said. She stopped and accepted the box. She carefully lifted its top to reveal a small, golden, frog-shaped pin. She felt her face heat at the sight of the thing. She removed it from the white pin cushion it rested on, handing him the box as she did so, and placed it in her hair above her right ear. She beamed, apparently pleased with the gift. She hugged the boy, catching him with a great hug. He smiled and returned the gesture. He glanced down at the pin. "It looks good on you." He simply said as he tapped the frog.

"Thank you." She said. "This is the most wonderful thing that anyone has given me." She couldn't stop the constant beaming.

* * *

"What the hell!" Sasuke laughed at he stared at his "gardenia" with mild shock. She had just slapped a spoonful of ice cream on his cheek. He shuddered under the cold substance. It was totally unexpected. She moved fast.

Xira merely giggled as she quickly scanned the crowd, making sure that there were no curious onlookers. She then licked the treat off of his cheek, making him gasp in surprise. In return, she laughed heartily. He wiped the rest that she didn't catch off with his hand, offering a faint smile at her. She stuck out a tongue.

"Be more careful next time, _ninja._" She laughed, flashing her sharp toothed grin at him.

"I will, _gardenia._" He kissed the back of her hand which he held.

"Hey, you two! Wait!" They both turned to find Naruto trying to catch up. He greeted the two. "Where are you two headed?" he asked. They shrugged. "We didn't have anywhere in particular…" Sasuke answered. "Why? I thought you would be with Sakura…" Naruto's sunny smile disappeared. He grimaced in the direction of a row of booths. "She's… Shopping at the moment." Sasuke nodded, knowing well what he meant. Their teammate could be a total bitch at some times.

"You two seem to be having fun." He stated. "You look as if you've known each other your whole lives." Xira bashfully smiled, leaning her head on Sasuke's arm.

* * *

Xira leaned on the tips of her toes in order to kiss her gardenia goodbye. She had just been on the best date of her life. She barely even noticed the passage of time. Midnight had crept upon them in the blink of an eye.

"What? I can't stay this time?" he asked with a smile. Her smile faltered at the question.

Of course, she wanted him to stay. She didn't want him to leave her side. But with her frequent nightmares and fits of pain, she didn't want him to worry about her.

But he was a hard person to say "no" to.

She cupped his cheek with her hand and kissed him once more. "Fine." She agreed. She didn't know what to tell him, so she just hoped that things would go her way.

They sat in their normal spot. On the couch. Sasuke rested his head in Xira's lap staring up at the ceiling of the room. She leaned on the arm of the couch, barely remaining awake. She drifted in between consciousness and unconsciousness. Little did she know that this was exactly what he wanted.

He wished to know exactly why the light in her eyes had dimmed. Why did she seem so off? His only guess was that she wasn't getting the sleep that she needed. Or her pain was keeping her up at night. Either way, he was determined to find the answer and solve the problem.

She was fast asleep in a matter of minutes.

Sasuke watched her as she slept. Her face was peaceful. At first, that is. She snored every now and then, but peaceful overall.

Once she was entirely submersed in unconsciousness, he lifted her from her spot and carried her to her room. But as soon as he set her on the soft cushions of her bed, she let out a small whimper.

He assumed that he had disturbed her in some way, but he noticed that her face was contorted in pain. Her head lolled from side to side, as if she was trying to shake whatever dream she was having away.

He didn't want this to go any further. He'd seen enough. He shook her by the shoulder in an attempt to wake her. She jolted at the touch, snapping upright with widened eyes. She merely stared at him, not knowing what to say. He stared back.

She buried her face into her hands, rubbing her sore eyes. He placed a hand on her knee. A small attempt at comfort. "Are you oka-" She snapped. "Yes! I'm okay! It's just a tiny nightmare. I'm okay!" She seemed to be trying to convince herself with the words.

He ignored her outburst and captured her in a tight hug. He pressed her head into his chest. "Do you want to tell me?" She remained silent, not knowing the true answer to that. Of course, she wanted to. But she didn't want to worry people with her own problems.

"It's nothing…" she said. He frowned, but accepted her choice.

* * *

"Fucking cacti!" Xira slung a couch cushion across her living room in the direction of the offending plant. It just popped up out of nowhere. Sprouted up in the corner of her living room. She didn't know where it came from.

She was hallucinating, though she honestly didn't know herself. She'd forgotten that she was not human. That she was darkling and that her body was different. The most simple of medications by human standards could cause her body to react drastically. The simple pills that she took for her sleeping issue, had instead caused her to hallucinate. Like a common hallucinogen.

She hastily threw herself in her room, locking the door and crouching in the corner. And she remained there for at least two hours before her gardenia came looking for her.

It had been a week since the event with her nightmares. Now he knew that she was suffering. She wasn't getting enough sleep. But she refused to tell him about it. She wouldn't speak. So now he could only watch as her mood slowly went from bad to worse.

Just returning from a mission, his first move was to go check up on her. To make sure that she was still sane.

"Xira!" He called as he knocked on her door. No answer. Sasuke was never one to be patient, so he snatched the key that she kept under her doormat, (the very same one that he told her _not _to hide there for her own safety).

He stepped inside the small apartment, slightly taken aback by the mess of couch cushions he saw. He raised an eyebrow before advancing.

He knocked on the door to her room. "Xira?" he asked. He heard the sound of heavy feet on carpet before the door was flung open.

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow. Her hair was in a mess. Blue circles surrounded her widened eyes. "Are you okay? You look insa-" He was cut off by her shoving a finger upon his lips. She threw the other arm around his neck. "Shhhhhhh." She said. "Nonnononono. Don't speak. You'll wake the cactuses..." She threw a worried glance in the direction of the living room.

Sasuke grabbed her by the wrist and moved her hand. "What the hell, Xira?" She let out a bubbly giggle and nuzzled her face into his neck and latched on to him. "I love you a lot, Sasuke." She stole a small, birdlike peck on his jawline.

He was speechless. He could only stare at her. It was like she was speaking an entirely different language. He shook his head and pulled away from her. "Xira. What's going on?" She let out another giggle. "The cactuses. In the living room. They keep. Getting. Closer." With each word, she flicked at his ear. He rolled his eyes and pulled away from her, leaving to go investigate the said living room.

It looked normal to him. The same as ever save the random pillow cushions. He advanced even further in the room, stopping only when a sharp gasp sounded from the girl behind him.

"You don't feel that?" she asked. He creased his eyebrows, growing a little frustrated with her. "Feel what?" She pointed to his foot. "That! You just stepped on one!" He let out a small grunt of frustration and kept investigating. He spotted the small medicine bottle on the coffee table. Sleep inducing.

He picked it up, holding it towards Xira. "Did you take any of this?" he asked. The girl shrugged.

He grabbed her by the hand and led her into her room. "Go get some shoes on." He said. She huffed and sat down on her bed, crossing her arms in a defiant manner.

"I don't like your tone." She laughed. He growled slightly and found a pair of sandals. He carefully slipped them on her feet.

She laughed at the gesture. "I'm like a princess now!" she childishly remarked. "No. Wait. I _am _a princess. My mama's a queen!" She wiggled her toes once the boy finally placed the shoes on her feet. He pulled her to her feet and led her outside, locking the apartment up afterwards. He shook his head at the comment she made, wondering what it meant.

* * *

"What happened to me?" Xira asked the question with a mild shock. She didn't know if she had heard correctly. It was like her gardenia was speaking a whole different language.

"This medicine that you took," he held up a little prescription bottle. "It had some kind of… Reaction within you."

The girl rolled her eyes and threw herself back onto the couch of his living room. He merely stared at her. "I guess you can't take any human medicine…" he said. She turned away from him, shoving her face into the cushions. Her only response was a nod.

He crossed the short distance between them and knelt near her. He grabbed a lock of her dark hair, tugging it softly. "Are you okay?" he softly asked. She nodded once more. She shifted in her seat, making it so that her body faced him.

"Yes." She sighed. "I'm fi-" He interrupted her, finally growing impatient with her. "You're not. Tell me what the fucking problem is already." He glared at her. She gaped at him, surprised by his sudden mood swing. She sighed, not knowing how to answer.

"I… Don't know what's wrong. Well, I do, but I don't know how to stop it." She buried her face in her hands. "I know exactly what's going on, but I don't know how to stop it. They keep getting worse. Her imagination won't fucking run out!"

"Her?" she nodded, finally giving in to his questions. "Yes. Her. Ilana. She's the whole reason why I've been suffering. She won't leave me be! She won't rest until I'm either batshit insane or in the ground!" The boy eased her into a sitting position. He then took a spot next to her. His hand rested on her waist, causing her to rest her head on his shoulder.

"Why is she doing this to you?" he asked. And she had no choice but to answer.

She told him everything. Her being banished for a silly reason. Her childhood grudge against the girl. She had a notion that all of this was her doing, but couldn't be sure. She wouldn't know until she actually investigated it all. In order to do that, she would have to return home. She would have to leave Sasuke.

He attempted to ease her distress. He rubbed her hip soothingly, not knowing how to respond to all of this. But she brushed off the gesture. "Don't worry." She smiled. "I'll be fine." She tried to laugh. To make him believe her, but he continued to stare with those angry eyes of his.

He leaned forward, capturing her soft lips with his. She, surprised, flinched but relaxed.

"Why do you do that?" he asked. She was silent as he broke the kiss. She stared into his reprimanding eyes. "What do you mean?" she asked. She knew what he meant.

He clicked his tongue out of frustration. He tore his eyes away from her gaze.

She rose from her spot and headed for the door. "Where are you going?" he asked, mildly annoyed. "I'm going to go train for a while. I'll see you later…"

And with that, she was gone, leaving the boy to question his actions.

* * *

The girl senselessly beat the training dummy that stood in the center of the clearing. Beads of sweat traveled down every inch of her body, which was mostly bare. She wore clothes suitable for training. A sports bra with grey, loose-fitting shorts. She wore the standard shinobi sandals, that helped her with the vicious kicks she delivered, as her black, fingerless gloves helped ease the blow of her hands against wood. Despite the cold weather, she sweated. The intensity of her training overcame the cold temperature of winter. She had been training for hours.

"Is everything alright?" A deep voice startled her. She swung on her heels, meeting a cold, pale-eyed gaze. Neji gazed at the girl, then at the training dummy that had been nearly beaten to a pulp. "Training?" he asked. She nodded before going back to her previous activity. She didn't have time to waste on such a person.

"Need help?" he asked. The girl halted. She turned to him, standing as still as a statue. She eyed him up and down, trying to confirm if he would be a good opponent. She hesitated, knowing well what he was attempting to do. She noticed his stares. His growing fondness of the girl. She didn't want to speak with him. She wanted nothing to do with him.

"Fine." She said. She backed away, widening the gap in between them. She allowed there to be at least over fifteen feet in between them.

Both of them lowered theirselves into fighting stances. Both wordlessly launched theirselves at each other, jumping into action like they've done this a million times before.

She thrust her foot out to kick him in midair. He barred his arms together and blocked it. He pushed her away, hurling her towards a large oak. She used this to her advantage and landed feet-first on the tree. She jumped away, towards him again. She grabbed a kunai and aimed it for him. He grabbed his own and began what seemed to be a swordfight between kunai. Xira hadn't been aware of how fast she's grown. How much stronger she's become. To a spectator, the two would have appeared as two blurs rushing constantly towards each other.

The two fought for hours, unknowingly allowing time to pass by swiftly. Neji was fascinated by how she launched her attacks. So swiftly, as if it was all pure instinct. Like a leopard striking down her prey. He caught glimpses of her once hidden muscles. Her developing abs and pronounced calves. How the sweat that cascaded down her body glistened in the sunlight. How her developing buds were defying her sports bra's very purpose. He had to truly concentrate in order to not have his face punched in.

Xira thought fast and as Neji attempted to kick her, swinging his leg in a full 360, she slipped into the ground. The girl reemerged directly behind him, who stumbled from his failed blow. She thrust her foot out. It connected with the small of his back, sending him across the clearing.

Xira watched as the boy struggled to right himself. He rose from the ground and faced her with bold determination. She dismissed the boy, though. She was no longer interested in smacking him around.

She noticed that she was being watched.

"What? Tired? Are we finished here?" Neji asked as he approached the girl. She waved him away. "Yeah. I'm done. We'll finish this some other time, I guess." She eyed a distant tree on the other side of the clearing. Trying to identify the culprit. It's foliage kept him well hidden, though.

She began to walk in the direction of the presence, bidding farewell to the pale-eyed boy. He stared after her as she disappeared into the forest, confused. He wished to figure her out, but couldn't. He then dismissed it and headed home.

Xira took off, sprinting through the trees, like how she saw the other ninja did.

"I thought you left me…" she said.

The figure rushed ahead, cutting off her advance by landing on a tree branch before her. He crossed his arms, staring at her with a grin.

"I didn't. I just temporarily abandoned you. It wouldn't be pretty if we both got caught." The shark-like man's grin grew even wider. "Did you miss me?" He held his arms out, as if waiting for a big hug but the girl wasn't having any of it.

"You _bastard!" _She hissed. His smile faded.

"You abandoned me! You left me alone to fend for myself. What if these ninja wasn't so kind, huh! What if they were scumbag bandits or bounty hunters?" He scoffed. "You would've fended them off." She bit her tongue, knowing that she could've.

Xira didn't want to admit that she actually missed her master. That she hoped for his safety. She was glad-no, ecstatic- that he came for her. But she was also pissed that he left her in the first place. And she didn't want to give him the pleasure of knowing that.

But she was only a little girl.

She rushed at the man, fist raised. She aimed for his face, only to have it avoided. She flew right past him, unable to stop her own body. She landed on another branch, flat on her stomach. The impact made her head swirl and her ears ring.

Kisame lowered himself next to the girl, for she never raised herself. She just remained there, on the branch to hide her developing tears.

"Fine. What do we do now?" She asked with a sigh as she buried her face into the wood. He shook his head. "Poor baby? Did you really miss your teacher that much?" She hissed. "Shut the _fuck _up!" He did, startled by the girl's outburst.

"Just tell me where we're going, okay!"

* * *

She packed lightly. The kimono she wore during the festival. A training outfit. Ninja tools. Money, food, the book and all of the medical supplies that she could use. Some were good. Some weren't. She dropped the bag on her couch and scanned the house for any other things she would need.

And what she wore, the kimono she practically arrived to the village in. She liked it and decided that it would do until she found a better outfit.

She noticed the small frog pendant on her dresser. The memories that she would have to erase all came rushing back to her. This would be a catalyst. It would most likely set off a long chain of events. But she was prepared for it. The one thing that she truly hoped for, however, was the safety of the boy that she had known for only months. She wouldn't be able to forgive herself if something went wrong.

She had to say a final goodbye. To Sasuke. She couldn't leave without seeing him one last time.

He looked so peaceful. So content. Standing in the training grounds, face turned up to the sky, as if he were speaking to the heavens himself. Maybe he was having a word with Itachi, sharing loving words with his dear older brother.

She almost couldn't bear it. She was almost too weak to speak to him. Her brain screamed at her to just leave, for if she hinted at her departure, he would follow and she didn't want to hurt him. She didn't want him to worry. But she knew, deep down that she was doing just that with her actions. And plus, she owed him an explanation.

Sasuke knew that something was going to happen. He actually knew everything. He had come across her packing her belongings. Ninja tools and medical supplies. He assumed that she would be gone for a long time, most likely to never return to him.

The very thought of it startled him. His gardenia, leaving him for some unknown reason. He had no idea why. Not even the slightest clue. But he did know that she wasn't leaving without giving him an explanation.

"Where are you going?" he asked, aware of the girl's position behind him. She flinched at the question. She gathered her courage and approached him, stopping when she was directly beside him.

"I have business that needs tending to, Sasuke."

"What do you mean?" he asked. He wanted the full truth.

"There are people after me, Sasuke. People who would kill everyone around me if they wanted to." She sighed at the thought. Ilana was a powerful and deceitful girl. She, herself, was a powerful foe. And her ability to sweet talk others into her will was nothing to scoff at. She could easily level an entire city with her abilities. She was the very definition of scum.

He nodded, knowing very well what she meant. This Ilana girl, the very reason why Xira's been suffering. Not only was she cast out of her own home, but this girl still felt the need to torment her.

"So you're leaving…" It wasn't exactly a question. It was like he was trying to believe it himself. "Yes. I'm sorry…" The two were silent for a moment. Xira turned her head up to the sky, also. She watched the clouds roll by. "You should move on…" She finally said. Sasuke tore his attention away from the sky. "What?" he asked. She felt her eyes heat a little at the sound of his voice. Like he totally didn't expect her to say that.

"My life will probably always be like this from now on." She solemnly said. She knew it. Her enemies were many. Ilana. Her mother who would eventually call her back home for the throne. All of the competitors for the throne. Rivals of the Merid family. And countless others. And once her planet's government found out that she was still alive and on a foreign planet, things would get a hell of a lot worse. She was fucked. Doomed to a life of running. She didn't want Sasuke to be a part of that.

But they still could be friends.

"I don't want you to suffer anymore, Sasuke. You've done enough. If we remain together like this, that's exactly what will happen. I'll die and you'll be torn." He open his mouth to interject. "Don't interrupt me!" she snapped. He narrowed his eyes, but kept quiet.

The girl grabbed his hand, the right one. "Remember all those conversations we had when we first met?" she asked after she regained her composure. "All those times I told you about the stars and everything? How everyone had their own starsign?" he nodded. "You had me guess yours without telling me your birthday. I got it right on the first try." She smiled at the memory, but he snorted. "Xira, don't give me all that sentimental _bullshit." _He snapped. "If you don't want to stay, just tell me. Just leave." His despair turned into anger. He didn't want to believe that she was leaving. He felt that she was being selfish. Thinking only of herself, even though he knew that it wasn't the case.

She wrinkled her nose and made the pout that she did when she was angry. "Shut up and let me finish. Stop being an ass for once!" She didn't want to be so evil to him, but she needed to say this. To give him a final parting gift. A final promise.

She reached into her bag, regaining her composure once more. "I know that it is a little girly. But you've given me something to remember you by, it's only fair." She pulled out a silver pendant that hung from a black string. A shiny emblem of some sort.

"You're a Leo. A lion. A proud lion." She smiled, biting back her tears. He smiled at the gift, also. The memories from that one conversation made him laugh. "Yeah. I remember. You kept making roaring noises every time you remembered it." She laughed hard at the memory. Another belly laugh. She remembered that. Naruto asked her something. She made a loud roaring noise and doubled over into a laughing fit. He stared at her as if she had grown an extra eye. Sasuke laughed, too.

She reached up to him on the tips of her toes and tied the string around his neck. He lifted the pendant and rubbed it with his thumb and index finger, beginning a new habit. He then cupped her face with his hands and pulled her in for a kiss.

Of all the kisses that the two shared, their final kiss of departure was the most intense. The most passionate, for they were feeling several emotions at the moment. Fear, longing, sadness, loneliness, anger, desperation, love. All of these packed into one single kiss.

"No..." Sasuke said as he kissed the girl.

"What?" She asked, pulling away.

"No..." He said defiantly. "I'll wait." Xira began to shake her head, not believing his sudden declaration. "I'm serious... I've been through so much already. I've waited for so long for something like you. For a light like you. I may never find another." He sighed, thinking about his brother. "Itachi was my light. But he died. You're my second light and you're leaving. Some people don't get that many chances." He said. "I can't let you go. I've waited for so long, but I can wait a little longer."

Xira could barely believe her ears. "What? No! No... If I die, Sasuke, it'll be over. I don't want to hurt you that way!" He narrowed his eyes at the girl and simply said two words. "Then don't..."

Xira merely stared into his onyx orbs, not knowing what to say. But after a few seconds of staring, she finally realized what he was doing.

He was giving her a reason to survive. And her love for him deepened even further. He was her light, too. And she would keep that in mind until she was back in his arms once more.

"I won't..." She said, a smile crossing her face. "I'll come back to you, I promise." The gardenias locked lips once more, saying their final goodbyes. And when the time arose, the girl disappeared into the trees, leaving to go meet her mentor so that she could train to become stronger. So that she would be able to return to her very own light.


End file.
